Hope Strachan, Minister of Financial Services, has announced that plans for the establishment of an international commercial arbitration centre are well under way.

“We believe that establishing The Bahamas as a major international arbitration hub, will not only complement our legal profession, but also our financial services, maritime services, foreign direct investment projects, and internal business initiatives. Plans for the establishment of an international commercial arbitration centre are well under way,” the Minister told guests attending a recent officers installation service for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Bahamas (CIArb).

CIArb Bahamas, is the global institutions third largest branch in the Americas region. The new slate of officers are: Chairman: H.E. Dr. Richard C. Demeritte Chartered Accountant; First Vice Chair: Dr. Peter Maynard Barrister at Law; Second Vice Chair: Mrs. Cherise Cox-Nottage Barrister at Law; Honorary Secretary General: Tony S. Joudi Civil Engineer; Honorary Treasurer: Hubert Edwards, Chartered Accountant.

Guests included l – r: Jerome Sawyer Public Relations Consultant; Edison Sumner CEO Bahamas Chamber of Commerce; Khrystle Rutherford-Ferguson Fidelity Bank Litigation Manager; Hope Strachan, Minister of Financial Services; Suzanne Black Business Consultant; Justice Lorris Ganpatsingh (Retired); Tony S. Joud, Civil Engineer, CIArb Honorary Treasurer.