Twelve years after signing the first historic document, CIBC FirstCaribbean and members of eleven regional trade unions recently initialed a second FirstPartnership Principles Agreement.

The Bahamas Financial Services Management Workers’ Union and the Bahamas Financial Services Union are among the list of trade unions which are signatories to the newest agreement The signing took place during a two-day meeting of bank executives, managers, staff delegates and union leaders at the Hilton Hotel in Barbados on June 22-23rd, 2017.

The groundbreaking FirstPartnership Principles Agreement was first signed in 2005 and remains the only one in the financial services sector in the Caribbean. The unique agreement sees the signatories committing to follow a set of principles which will guide them in their engagement.

It also outlines the roles and responsibilities of the parties and their behaviours.

CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Chief Executive Officer Gary Brown writing in the forward to the document said the bank was “fortunate to have a document like the Partnership Principles that has helped and will continue to help guide us when resolving issues affecting our people”.

“That we have been able to come together to develop and agree on such principles is a testament to the professional ism and spirit of cooperation of all parties.

I look forward to continuing the dialogue between the members of the Partnership and to the many years of productive interaction that will benefit our employees, our company, our shareholders and all the clients we are in the business to serve,” he added.

Managing Director, Human Resources, Neil Brennan, who signed on behalf of the bank, said “through the principles of the agreement CIBC FirstCaribbean has been able to collaborate with its Trade Union partners to navigate through some turbulent times, make some significant changes to the organization and the way it operates, to build a stronger, more successful bank”.

Also signing on behalf of the bank was Mark St. Hill, Managing Director, Retail and Business Banking who noted that through the partnership the bank hoped to “continue to deliver growth for the bank, its employees and customers.

It is for the mutual benefit of our employees, our company, our shareholders and most importantly, the clients we serve.”

Chairperson of the partnership and president of the Bahamas Financial Services Union, Theresa Mortimer said the partnership document demonstrated a commitment by the bank and the trade unions to work together to maintain a stable industrial relations climate within the financial services sector.

She was supported by vice chairman and General Secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union David Massiah who hailed the agreement as one developed by Caribbean people which demonstrates “how important it is for this partnership of employer, employee and unions to be working together”.

The trade unions which are signatories to the newest agreement are:

• Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union

• Bahamas Financial Services Management Workers’ Union

• Bahamas Financial Services Union

• Banking, Insurance & General Workers Union of Trinidad

• Barbados Workers’ Union

• Bustamante Industrial Trade Union of Jamaica

• Technical Allied Workers’ Union of St Vincent

• Federation of Financial Unions (formerly Bond di Empleadonan Bankario I Aseguro (BEBA) – Netherlands Antilles (St Maarten)

• National Workers’ Union of St Lucia

• National Workers’ Union of Grenada

• Waterfront and Allied Workers’ Union of Dominica

Managing Director, Retail and International Business, CIBC FirstCaribbean, Mark St. Hill (left) signs the agreement while Chairman of the FirstPartnership Teresa Mortimer (second left) observes while Vice Chairman David Massiah (third left) signs on behalf of the unions, Managing Director Human Resources, CIBC FirstCaribbean, Neil Brennan (right) observes.

A section of the delegates attending the two-day FirstPartnership meeting at the Hilton Hotel, Barbados.

About CIBC FirstCaribbean
CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank is a relationship bank offering a full range of market-leading financial services through our Corporate and Investment Banking, Retail, Business & International Banking and Wealth Management segments. We are located in seventeen (17) countries around the Caribbean, providing the banking services that fit our customers’ lives through approximately 3000 employees, in 80 branches and offices. We are one of the largest regionally-listed financial services institutions in the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean, with over US$11 billion in assets and market capitalization of US $1.8 billion. We also have an office in Hong Kong. The face of banking is changing throughout the world and CIBC FirstCaribbean intends to lead these changes with the expertise, integrity and knowledge gained from banking in the Caribbean since 1836.

CIBC FirstCaribbean is a member of the CIBC Group. CIBC is a leading Canadian-based global financial institution with 11 million personal banking and business clients. Through our three major business units - Retail and Business Banking, Wealth Management and Capital Markets - CIBC offers a full range of products and services through its comprehensive electronic banking network, branches and offices across Canada with offices in the United States and around the world.

For more information about CIBC FirstCaribbean, visit www.cibcfcib.com, Facebook: CIBCFCIB, Twitter: CIBC_FCIB, LinkedIn: CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank, Instagram: CIBCFirstCaribbean, YouTube: CIBC FirstCaribbean

Giving back to the community has seemingly become a duty for Information Technology Entry Level major, Elijah Small.

From a young age, Elijah understood the significance of lending a helping hand. He grew up on hard times and saw first-hand the impact caring for others can have. Now that he is older, he feels compelled to return the kind gestures he received.

The 18-year-old describes himself as a selfless person and his actions support that. Being the son of a pastor, the character trait was instilled in him from childhood. He also had other positive role models who fueled his desire to become altruistic.

“I grew up on hard times. My parents didn’t have it most of the time and I just want to relate to children out there to deter them from becoming juvenile delinquents,” said the sensitive Elijah.

He believes giving back to the community shows a sense of responsibility and described it as an endless life cycle until the Lord comes. He sees it as an excellent torch to carry from generation to generation.

In honour of students like Elijah, the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute’s (BTVI) Student Affairs’ department recently hosted its Community Service Awards ceremony where over 25 students were to be honored for their selfish acts within the community.

Like Elijah, Information Technology Management major, D’Ante Ferguson has been very present in the community.

Not only does she volunteer with her BTVI classmates, she also independently volunteers. D’Ante has offered her time and service at the Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home, the Children’s Ward at Princess Margaret Hospital, the Children’s Emergency Hostel and other charitable organizations.

The 21-year-old believes in pouring into the lives of others. Simply being a listening ear for those in need gives her great satisfaction.

BTVI’s Dean of Student Affairs, Racquel Bethel told the students that their commitment is appreciated.

“Thank you for taking time out to volunteer.

When you give the gift of time to provide encouragement, you make someone’s day more bearable.

You took the time to care.

In return, you received friendship, appreciation and satisfaction,” said Ms. Bethel.

Ms. Bethel has long been convinced that giving is a part of learning. She and her team continue to push for activities that motivate BTVI’s students to become more community-minded.

“At BTVI, we aim to build good citizens,” she stated.

Community enagement is one of the five strategic plan goals of BTVI and Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, Leroy Sumner, congratulated Ms. Bethel for bringing that goal to life.

“The fact that students have volunteered, through their own initiative, is incredible. The experiences you gain from such interaction, you will carry with you for life.

Those who volunteer don’t just stand by and watch things happen; they make things happen,” said Mr. Sumner.

Mr. Sumner encouraged the students to take that same volunteerism attitude with them when they leave BTVI.

Student Counselor, Pamela McCartney noted that there is much negativity in the headlines, so as a way of encouragement, the Student Affairs’ team wanted to pay homage to students who are performing positive acts.

Photos: By Shantique Longley

The CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Society of The Bahamas continues to maintain a strong relationship with the Securities Commission of The Bahamas, Robert Turnquest, the society's president told the global CFA Institute recently, noting how maintaining a good relationship with the regulator helps to build the CFA's profile and reputation locally, and how it strengthens the CFA Institute brand globally.
Turnquest said the local CFA Society has enjoyed a good relationship with the commission, especially given the history of its advocacy chair, Velma Miller, who formerly worked at the commission and "maintains a good relationship with the organization".
"Over the years our society has conducted courtesy calls with key executives at the Securities Commission to promote and advocate for the CFA program, CFA Institute Investment Foundations Certificate and the code of ethics, as well as meeting with them in person from time to time," said Turnquest in a testimonial on the CFA Institute's website.
"Under the leadership of its executive director, Christina Rolle, the Securities Commission has been highly receptive towards the efforts and mission of our society.
"Earlier this year, the Securities Commission released an updated list of examinations for industry professionals needed to perform certain activities.
"The commission recognized the CFA Institute Investment Foundations Certificate and Level I of the CFA program as acceptable examinations for the registration categories of 'advising representative' and 'trading representative'; and Level I of the CFA program as an acceptable examination for the registration category of 'discretionary management representative'," said Turnquest.
In January, The Bahamas welcomed five new CFAs: Leonard Scott, Jason Smith, Tiffany Smith, Jontra Rolle and Oliver Turner. The president and CEO of the CFA Institute, Paul Smith, said then that the country will need more CFAs if it is to remain a leading financial jurisdiction in the future.
Turnquest said maintaining a dialogue with key regulators will be essential to strengthening the society. He added that encouraging CFA Society members who work in regulatory roles to be more involved in the advocacy process will also go a long way.
"On at least an annual basis, CFA Society The Bahamas meets with persons at the Securities Commission to discuss the CFA program and answer questions from executives or other members or staff," Turnquest said.
"Additionally, having board representation from members with a background in regulation not only provides additional perspective and diversity, but also assists with talking to top regulation executives and developing and executing strategies for effective advocacy."

Like an Olympic gold medal win, the 'get rid of Christie' mantra united Bahamians in unprecedented fashion.
It culminated in a spectacular defeat of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) at the polls seven weeks ago today.
Despite this crushing loss, however, some in the PLP, led principally by PLP dinosaurs Philip Brave Davis and Glenys Hanna-Martin, still behave as if the Bahamian people got it wrong, as if they truly deserved to win.
They have refused to humble themselves.
They have refused to apologize for the disgraceful performance of the administration they were a part of.
They have refused to acknowledge that their mismanagement of our affairs and abuse of power brought The Bahamas to its knees, nearly pushing us off the economic cliff.
Their continued defense of their condemnable actions is angering people even more.
Thus, it was refreshing to see that someone in the PLP actually "got it".
Exuma and Ragged Islands MP Chester Cooper and former PLP Chairman Raynard Rigby, both progressive in their thinking and genuine in their visions, had separate speaking engagements on Monday night.
Cooper spoke at the National Progressive Institute at PLP headquarters in New Providence.
Rigby, who is leading the PLP's post-election assessment, was in Exuma, speaking to PLP supporters and listening to their reasons why the PLP lost the general election.
Exuma, of course, is one of only three Family Island seats the PLP won in the election. Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador and Central and South Andros are the other two.
The untold story in the weeks after the election is why a portion of the PLP's base abandoned it.
That is critical for the PLP in taking stock of where it is and charting a future for the new PLP while cleansing itself of the stain and poison of the Perry Christie-led team that has turned the PLP into an organization without a cause, one unable to recognize itself.
Christie, his ego, his arrogance and the cast of largely unaccountable and abusive players who battled Dr. Hubert Minnis and the Free National Movement (FNM) in a high stakes game for power were bad for The Bahamas.
Their exit from the seat of power is the first crucial step in the restoration of good and clean governance.
With the PLP moved unceremoniously from office, with its top guns annhilated and Christie forced into retirement in a most humiliating way, the party's attention now turns to rebuilding.
It cannot rebuild, however, if it continues to lie to itself and lie to the Bahamian people.
It cannot reform if it continues to defend a record that was wholly rejected by the Bahamian people.
It must get real.
Cooper's and Rigby's message to PLPs was precisely this.
It was a welcomed and remarkable break from the delusional approach that has been taken by people like Davis, Hanna-Martin and Senators Fred Mitchell and Dr. Michael Darville, who all sat around the table and participated in the making of decisions that were not in the best interests of the Bahamian people.
Collectively, they turned a blind eye as the wrongdoing of colleagues was being exposed.
God and them only know what they kept quiet about that has yet to be exposed.
Cooper acknowledged in his timely speech to PLPs, "...we ignored scandals, protecting the interest of offending individuals and condoned things we should not have by our silence."
He added, "We protected the interest of the party over the interest of the nation, thinking, wrongly, that the Bahamian people would somehow understand without being told, that those two things were actually the same."
Cooper also acknowledged how useless it is for the PLP to continue to defend what has passed.
"Will we spend the next five years trying to defend the past five years that we were rejected on?" he asked.
"I suspect that this will anger our people and the electorate even more."
Cooper also acknowledge that a main reason for the loss was Christie's continued presence as leader.
He admitted, "As I walked the constituency, and I know you know I'm not the only one who heard this, people would say: 'Chester, I like you; you are the best candidate by far, with the best plan. I want to support you, but I can't vote for you because I don't support Perry Christie or what the PLP has become, and a vote for you is a vote for Christie'."
In a powerful observation, Cooper also said, "We went into communities asking support from the very people we raised taxes on to improve their lives, and when we did so, we found them in the same circumstances we met them in when we promised to improve their circumstances five years ago."
Cooper said it is time for the PLP to repent -- a point we have made repeatedly in this space in the weeks since the general election.
Likewise, Rigby called on the PLP to get serious.
He said the party acted "foolishly" while in office and said those who brought shame and scandal to the organization should "stand down".
This is why we believe that Davis is not a good leader for the PLP.
While he should perhaps spend the next year or two helping the party to rebuild and heal, he cannot lead it through genuine and lasting reform because he is tied to everything the people rejected.
He cannot distance himself from all the bad decisions.
He cannot pretend he was not connected to an administration that so violated the people's trust and abused its power that it was despised by Bahamians in every corner and abandoned even by some PLPs.
Davis appears determined to live in a parallel universe. He continues to defend matters that cannot be defended.
Last week, in the face of damning and shocking revelations about abuse of public funds by the Christie administration, Davis, the former deputy prime minister, called a press conference to defend the former government.
While he repeatedly accused the new government of telling lies in the budget debate in Parliament, he had no specifics on most of the matters he was defending.
It was bizarre, really.
Davis urged Bahamians not to be "suckered" into the government's "lies", yet he could not explain circumstances surrounding the award of contracts for which the Minnis administration had reported the public did not get value for money on.
Davis fell flat when he attempted to explain why the Christie administration spent $30 million to build the STAR Academy -- a facility for at-risk youth -- on land owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and for which there was no signed lease.
He also had no explanation for astronomical contracts awarded to certain PLP cronies, yet he has asked Bahamians to accept what the government is telling them as lies.
The PLP ought to understand, as Cooper has observed, that the more it seeks to defend nonsense, the more it touts a failed record, the angrier many Bahamians will get.
Cooper has done well to stay away from the cesspool in which some PLPs continue to wade.
Pretending that the Bahamian people just got it wrong on May 10 will do noting to help the PLP's cause. It only further shows them to be out of touch and operating in another realm that landed them right where they belong -- on the outside looking in.
The bitterness and desperation of PLPs like Fred Mitchell would leave the party mired in a pit of despair with no identity and a fractured base that does not understand what the PLP is about and does not support it.
The Bahamian people rejected the Christie-led PLP in the strongest possible terms.
They rejected all that they stood for.
They rejected a group that condoned wrongdoing, that wasted our resources and mismanaged our affairs.
They are tired of hearing the party pretend as if it did not deserve what it got when, in fact, voting them out does not feel to many like adequate punishment for the crew that nearly drove us off the economic cliff.

Truth
The PLP's brightest hopes now are people like Cooper, who was brave enough to speak truth and to acknowledge that the party needs to ask the Bahamian people's forgiveness.
It needs people like Rigby, who was shunned by the party because he dared to challenge the status quo in the PLP at a time when others worshipped Christie and ignored the dangerous elements that were ripping the party to the core and more importantly eroding the economic and social gains of a people.
Bahamians saw a small few living high on the hog, while they scrapped for the crumbs that fell here and there.
Once upon a time, we had some hope in men like Michael Halkitis, Khaalis Rolle, Dr. Kendal Major and Jerome Fitzgerald. These were the so-called new generation leaders.
Christie touted himself as the bridge to the future, but those proved to be meaningless catchy slogans designed to dupe the nation.
Christie's insatiable lust for power, the shameless greed of some around him like Fitzgerald, and the disdain with which they treated Bahamians drove them out of office and stripped the PLP of its once glorious attributes.
Like the more seasoned all-for-me-baby crowd they met in politics, the so-called new generation leaders could not find their voices when it mattered most.
Christie clearly had no intention of being any bridge to the future. He wanted more power. He wanted to rule for as long as he could rule.
The bid to hang onto power was clearly more about his ego, more about PLP control, more about power, than it was about bettering the lives of ordinary Bahamians.
In the end, Christie suffered a horrible political fate.
The message to him and to the PLP was resounding: You cannot treat us with disdain; you cannot conduct our affairs and keep us in the dark; you cannot mismanage our resources and ask us to support you again.
To now continue to tout their record as if it is something to be celebrated is damaging the PLP's already tattered image.
That image needs to be cleansed. The party needs to be rebranded.
The PLP needs to wash itself of the stain that was Christie, Davis and the others.
If the party continues to celebrate its record, it would probably do so to its detriment.
It needs to move on.
It needs to embrace truth.
It needs to look to a future in which it acknowledges its faults, its sins, its shameful actions, its many mistakes, and it needs to retire those who contributed to the near-destruction of a once great party.
As Cooper so rightly observed, they were more concerned about protecting each other and their party than they were concerned about protecting the interests of the nation.
Voices like Cooper's and Rigby's are important now for the PLP.
They reflect that not all are delusional, not all have missed completely the message of the May 10 defeat, not all continue to take the Bahamian people for fools.
They reflect what so many Bahamians want to see in their political leaders and those who seek to lead.
The most important characteristic of a good political leader has to be honesty.
Honesty is also a critical ingredient for building a new PLP.
It ought not continue lying to itself.
The Bahamian people have rejected and continue to reject PLP lies.
Hearing the truth from men like Cooper and Rigby is welcomed.
Whether the party embraces them and their messages is, of course, something entirely different.