Road Town, Tortola - The BVI International Finance Centre (IFC) will host its third phase of an educational workshop series intended to teach civil servants about the financial services industry.

The training entitled, “Go BVI Financial Training 2010,” begins next week and is part of the department’s local awareness programme. Topics that will be addressed are investment funds, banking, corporate administration, trust, shipping, aircraft registration and compliance.

The facilitators for the workshops are corporate lawyers, representatives from the Financial Services Commission and the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry. They include Mr. Jamal Smith of Harney Westwood and Riegels, Ms. Ayana Braithwaite of Maples and Calder, Mr. Peter Reichenstein of VP Bank (BVI) Limited and Mrs. Helene Lewis of Simonette-Lewis.

According to Executive Director of IFC, Ms. Sherri Ortiz, “Recent international threats highlight the need to close the gap between the local populace pertaining to their knowledge of the financial services industry and how this sector ties into the mandates of respective Government departments.”
Acting Marketing Manager, Mrs. Alicia Green, who is also a presenter, said that the training is fundamental to “increase the awareness of the financial services industry by members of the Public Service”.

She said, “We want to continue to sensitise audiences on exactly what the financial services industry is about while continually reaffirming the brand of the jurisdiction as globally integrated and responsible in the provision of financial services.

The training is an important mechanism of information sharing and it is one of the ways the IFC seeks to ensure that we protect the reputation of the Territory’s financial services industry by acknowledging one message. In the current climate, educating our populace and maintaining a consistent message with regards to financial services is very necessary to our potential growth and continued future development.”

The marketing manager also explained, “In the past year, the local awareness programmes produced by the IFC have been very successful as a means for protecting the industry. We want to stop persons from assuming and start knowing. This way, they will be prepared to rebut any negative statements that are made to attack our industry and to intelligibly engage in conversations when the subject matter is approached.”

“We want to particularly encourage departments to send their employees to this essential training,” said Mrs. Green.

The workshops will be held beginning May 31 and throughout the month of June. Registration is currently open to all civil servants. For further information, persons can contact Mrs. Alicia Green, at 468-4347 or email agreen@bviifc.gov.vg.

The BVI International Finance Centre is responsible for the marketing of the Virgin Islands’ Financial Services Industry and promoting the Territory’s reputation as a globally integrated and responsible financial services centre.