SVG Co-operative League told – Don’t back away from challenges

Despite the challenges that they may face, the SVG Cooperative League has been encouraged to press on in the quest to establish their own insurance service.{{more}}

This encouragement came from guest speaker of the SVG Cooperative League’s Annual General Meeting, Ornan Johnson, of the Bahamas Co-operative League Insurance Brokerage Ltd.

The meeting was held on Saturday, May 29, 2010, at the conference room of the Girl Guides Headquarters at Level Garden. The theme of the meeting was “A time of opportunity-Harness the Co-operative difference.”

Giving the feature address, Johnson encouraged those gathered not to back away from challenges. “They’re always challenges in every endeavor, and if you are afraid of challenges you will not attempt or try, even though you have the ability to do so.”

Johnson, who stated that it took about eight years to establish an Insurance programme in Bahamas, said that the decision was greeted with a fair share of opposition. He, however, stated that opposition is always present, but once the persons involved in the decision can see its potential, they should press on.

“You have to be determined that you are going to do it despite the opposition,” he stated.

Johnson also discussed the advantages of the programme which included retaining profit in the cooperative league, creating employment and helping to build the wealth of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Also giving brief remarks, President of the Co-operative League, Junior Bacchus, urged the members of the League to take advantage of the many opportunities available to them. One of the opportunities Bacchus stated was the human capital surplus present in the league. “We must not allow our energies to be stifled and stagnated. We must take advantage of human surplus,” Bacchus stated.

Bacchus added that he hopes to have the insurance programme launched by the next Annual General Meeting.

“I believe that by the time we get to our next Annual General Meeting, we should be celebrating the launch and the effective use of our own insurance services. I believe we should do this.”

Bacchus added that he believes that the co-operatives have the ability to “restock the community” as persons worry about investments in insurance companies like British American and CLICO.

“Many of us ponder with the collapse of other financial institutions but the credit unions have the opportunity to restock the community,” he said.

The meeting also featured short greetings relayed from several co-operatives of the league as well as open discussions by members of the league.