Central Bank salutes stalwarts

STAFF MEMBERS of the 38-year-old Central Bank of Barbados were lauded for their contributions to the institution in a tastefully and  well-produced Twelfth Annual Awards and Recognition Ceremony at the Hilton Barbados on Saturday evening.Awardees, almost one for each year of existence of the Church Village,  St Michael financial institution, were dressed to the nines as they celebrated one  another’s milestones.The ceremony was divided into presentations of ten, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35-year awards and was enhanced by entertainment interludes featuring dancers Akeima and Renice Bostic, spoken word poet Adrian Green, and jazz singer Marissa Lindsay accompanied by Mike Sealy on guitar.In his opening remarks, Central Bank Governor  Dr DeLisle Worrell encouraged staffers to renew their commitment to making the bank a caring community that worked cooperatively  to attain the highest goal and standards.He challenged his charges “to be steadfast in our determination to reach that goal no matter how often we may stumble”. Worrell also described the event as an “excellent opportunity to sit back from our everyday task and to celebrate the achievement of the Central Bank over the almost 40 years of its life  . . . and the contributions that our long-serving colleagues have made  to these achievements”.He said the occasion was a time for the bank’s employees to remind themselves about how far they had come and “the achievement of the Central Bank in providing analysis and advice for Government and the general public; in providing a sound regularly framework  for the expansion and diversification of financial services; in providing currency and payment systems that have kept up with the times and in providing another range of services to the finance and business community”.Worrell also described the night as one when the staff should renew their commitment “to the vision that we have for the future of the  Central Bank”.“Coming here tonight, we make real at least for tonight the vision of a happy family of well-motivated individuals all supporting each other in pursuit of the goals  of excellence and efficiency in all that we do.”After the formalities, staffers and guests were treated to dinner and dancing. (JS)