Bahamas Red Cross President Terez Curry thanks Cornèr Bank CEO Christine Russell who presented a check for $100,000 from Corner’s parent bank in Lugano, Switzerland during a press conference at Red Cross headquarters September 18. (Photo Cay Focus Photography for DPA)
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Nassau, New Providence -- Heeding the call of the financial services industry to rally around recovery and rebuilding assistance in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, groundbreaking Cornèr Bank (Overseas) Limited stepped up to the plate today with a donation of $100,000 to the Bahamas Red Cross.
The bank that attracted headlines and kudos earlier this year for becoming the first to launch a 24-7 trading platform for Bahamian residents to invest in foreign stock markets became the first to answer the call of the Bahamas Financial Services Board and AIBT to donate in collaboration with the Financial Services Cares Initiative.
“For many residents of Abaco and Grand Bahama in the northern Bahamas, life from now on will be defined as before Hurricane Dorian and after Hurricane Dorian,” said CEO Christine Russell. “Wish as we might, there is nothing we can do to change what happened before Dorian, but as corporate citizens, we can bring our compassion and our financial resources to shaping what comes after. And that is exactly what we are here to demonstrate today as we present a check to the Bahamas Red Cross on behalf of our head office in Lugano, Switzerland. Our chairman and directors have been to The Bahamas on many occasions andCornèrhas been a part of the Bahamian financial landscape for 23 years. So while the headquarters of Cornèr Bank are in Switzerland, all of Cornèr Bank’s hearts are right here in the community in which we live and operate. We hope others in private banking and financial services will feel the same and support all relief and rebuilding efforts at this critical time.”
Bahamas Red Cross President Terez Curry thanked the bank even as she explained the work the organization was doing on the ground, including searching abandoned houses in Abaco and covering Grand Bahamas with relief efforts.
Pictured l-r Bahamas Financial Services Board CEO Tanya McCartney, Bahamas Red Cross President Terez Curry, Cornèr Bank (Overseas) Limited CEO Christine Russell and Cornèr Bank 1st Vice Presidents Mauro Casu and Birgit Ludig-Dridi. (Photo Cay Focus Photography)
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“I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Corner Bank for this generous donation and to BFSB and AIBT for all your efforts to assist us in our efforts,” said Curry.”We are in full hurricane relief mode from providing relief to those on the islands to assisting those here in Nassau, both in shelters and staying in private homes.”
Hurricane Dorian is the third time the financial services industry called on partners to collaborate, making a difference on the ground through donations to its Financial Services Cares Initiative.
“As was done in the wake of Hurricane Joaquin (2015) and Hurricane Matthew (2016), The Association of International Banks and Trust Companies (AIBT) and The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) are collaborating to facilitate donations to the Hurricane Dorian relief effort through our ‘Financial Services Cares’ Initiative,” said a joint statement.
“This initiative was established to provide a means by which member firms can contribute to restoration and recovery efforts when crises impact our communities. We have set a goal of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) in the wake of Hurricane Dorian and we are encouraging member firms to please give generously. Cornèr Bank (Overseas) Limited has responded to this call and we are extremely grateful. BFSB and The Association of International Banks and Trust Companies (AIBT) will contribute all funds raised to the support the provision of shelter as a priorityin the national relief effort and once immediate needs are met, we will move to support projects with a focus on youth and education.”
On hand for the cheque presentation at Bahamas Red Cross headquarters, Nassau, was CEO of Bahamas Financial Services Board Tanya McCartney, who also represented the Association of International Banks and Trust Companies.
