Forty-two Vincentians are now better able to make informed financial decisions and take economic risks.{{more}}

The Vincentians, who come from a wide financial cross section of society, have joined a family of 293 others in the country and 1,826 from around the Organization of East Caribbean States (OECS) who have graduated from the savings and investment course, facilitated by the East Caribbean Institute of Banking (ECIB), in collaboration with the East Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) and the University of the West Indies (UWI).

The graduation ceremony for the ten-week course, which got started on March 5 this year, took place on Saturday, July 31, at Frenches House in Kingstown.

The graduates’ course of study touched on topics such as personal financial planning, debt management, risk management strategies, financial markets and trading on the securities market, making them now more informed on protecting themselves against personal risk and decisions.

The successful graduates were congratulated for completing the course by representatives from the organizing bodies, including President of the ECIB Errol Allen, Resident Representative of the ECCB Elritha Dick, Co-ordinator of the Institute Cheryl Rodriguez and KPMG partner Brian Glasgow, who gave the feature address.

Facilitators and lecturers were also lauded for the timeliness of the workshop and for their comprehensive insight into the financial matters discussed.

Glasgow in his address said that he hoped the information gained would help the participants to fulfill their dreams and improve their lives.

These, he said, include purchasing their own homes and paying for children’s education, among other areas.

ECCB representative Dick indicated that her institution would like to see participants getting involved in stating up of their own businesses using the knowledge gained.

She indicated that a savings and investment course, which would deal with entrepreneurship, is soon to be launched here, and hoped that the graduates will participate.

ECIB president Errol Allen also encouraged the graduates to take part in an upcoming UWI accredited BSC Banking and Financing course which is set to begin in September this year.

This is the sixth year that the workshop has been held here, with another expected to begin later this year. (JJ)