BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, November 3rd 2009 - Citizens of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) will be exposed to a new perspective on globalisation when Dr. Danny Leipziger, Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management at the World Bank presents the ECCB sponsored 14th Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lecture on 4 November. Dr Leipziger will speak on the topic “The New Face of Globalisation: a Post–Crisis Assessment”.

The lecture will be held at the Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium, ECCB Headquarters, Basseterre, St Kitts and will be transmitted via video conference to the ECCB’s Agency Offices in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Dr Leipziger holds a PhD in economics from Brown University. He has written extensively on development economics and finance and has lectured widely on industrial policy, financial crisis management and development experience. He is also the author of several books including Lessons from East Asia and Preventing Banking Crises, and has published more than 30 articles in economic journals.

Before taking up his appointment at the World Bank, Dr Leipziger worked in the Economic Bureau of the U.S. Department of State where he served as economic advisor to the Secretary of State.

The Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lecture and Awards Ceremony are part of the 20th Annual Conference with Commercial Banks which will convene on 5 - 6 November.  The theme of this year’s conference is “The Global Financial Crisis And The Impact on Small Countries: What We Have Learnt Thus Far”.

During the Awards Ceremony, Dr Leipziger will present the first-ever Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Book Award to the Anguilla Community College.  The award, which is valued at EC$2,700 will be presented annually in alphabetical order to a selected college in each ECCU member country.

The ECCB will also make presentations to the winners of the 2009 ECCU Best Corporate Citizen Awards among Commercial Banks.