WOCCU chairman to visit

Chairman of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) Melvin Edwards, will represent the global credit union movement in St. Vincent and the Grenadines during an official visit on May 23 and 24, 2008. Edwards will be the guest of the St. Vincent Co-operative Credit Union League, the apex body for the national co-operative movement.{{more}}

History was made when Edwards became the first person from the Caribbean to be named Chairman of the World Council of Credit Unions. Edwards began a two-year term of office as the new Chairman of WOCCU when he was sworn in during the Council’s 2007 World Credit Union Conference in Calgary, Canada.

Edwards represents the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions (CCCU) on the Board of the World Council. He is a credit union veteran, having served the movement in many different roles for more than 25 years. He was the youngest ever President of CCCU, serving in this position from 1995 to 1999 and previously held the post of Vice Chairman of WOCCU.

During his visit to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Chairman Edwards, along with CCCU President, Julian Jack, Credit Union League President Sylvia Sutherland and other credit union officials will pay courtesy calls on Governor General Sir Frederick Ballantyne, Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and Minister with responsibility for Co-operatives, Hon. Mike Browne.

Issues of interest for the delegation of co-operative leaders include the role of credit unions, as significant providers of micro-finance, in reducing poverty; the important contributions that co-operatives make to local communities and national economies and developments related to co-operative legislation and supervision.

The WOCCU Chairman will address leaders of the national credit union movement at a meeting on Saturday 24, 2008. He is expected to highlight WOCCU’s initiatives in expanding the outreach of credit unions internationally. On the evening of Saturday May 24th, Chairman Edwards will be the guest of honour at an Awards Ceremony and Cocktail, which will be held under the auspices of the SVUT Co-operative Credit Union in commemoration of its 30th anniversary.

The World Council of Credit Unions is the leading international trade association and development agency for credit unions worldwide. Operating under its vision of “Quality Credit Unions for Everyone” WOCCU promotes the sustainable development of credit unions to empower people around the world to grow through access to high quality, affordable financial services. Worldwide more than 46,000 credit unions in 97 countries serve 172 million people.