Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, St. Maarten, June 28, 2010 (Press Release) - While some 400-odd delegates gathered in St. Maarten for the staging of the 53rd Annual International Convention and 39th Annual General Meeting of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions (CCCU), two individuals and a company received accolades for their sterling, significant, long-lasting and invaluable contribution to the continued growth and development of the Credit Union within the region.
The two individuals and company honoured were Melvin Edwards, Trevor Alleyne and CUNA Insurance. CUNA Insurance was presented with the Director’s Award for it service over the years to the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions. It was noted that from the establishment of the CCCU in Barbados in the mid 1980s, CUNA Mutual Insurance has been an invaluable strategic partner.
CCCU, in their citation, pointed out that the successive Chief Executives of CUNA, who serve as ex-officio members of the CCCU’s Board, have contributed immensely to the effective working of the board. It added that the confederation was grateful in recognizing CUNA Mutual Insurance Society Ltd. The company’s General Manager, Anthony Hall, accepted the award on their behalf.
In their tribute and recognition of Trevor Alleyne, CCCU said that he epitomizes the golden age and spirit of voluntary service and has been a stalwart of the Caribbean Credit Union Movement for several decades. Alleyne, who is a national of Trinidad and Tobago, begun his Credit Union crusade when he became a member of the Telephone Workers Credit Union Co-operative Society Ltd. in 1957.
In the citation presented to the Credit Union stalwart, it was noted that he began his climb up the Credit Union Director’s ladder when he was elected to the Board of his Credit Union in 1962. Subsequently, Alleyne served as President from 1968 until 1985 when he relinquished that position.
CCCU said that Alleyne’s elevation continued in 1989 when he was elected to the Board of the Northwest Regional Chapter and, almost simultaneously, a member of the Board of the Co-operative Credit Union League of Trinidad and Tobago. He was elected as President of the League in 1994 and was subsequently elected to the Board of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions, serving as Vice President from 1985-1999, President from 1999-2000 and Secretary from 2001 to 2004.
It was disclosed that Alleyne remained a member of the board until 2009 when he demitted office. The citation said that although he has finished his course at the regional level, he continues to lift the standard high in Trinidad and Tobago, where he still serves as a director on his credit union as well as the league
Accepting the organization’s final award was another stalwart in Melvin Edwards, who, according to the citation, was described as a friend of all and a satellite of none who has served the Caribbean Credit Union Movement with distinction in various capacities for more than 25 years. The St. Kitts and Nevis national, who resides in St. Lucia, was elected to the Board of the Confederation in 1991, serving first as Fecretary. It noted that in 1992 he was elected Vice President, a position that Edwards held until 1995 after being elected President; a position he held until 1999.
CCCU said that as a member of the board, Edwards tirelessly sought to promote the Advocacy and Development Agenda of the Confederation and was accredited for helping in the modernization of Cooperative Legislation in the Eastern Caribbean. It added that he demitted the office of President in 1999 but continued to serve as Director and Chairman of various sub-committees until he resigned in 2009.
The citation stressed that Edwards’ outstanding contribution to the development of the Caribbean Credit Union Movement began during his employ as the Education and Training Officer of the Confederation in the mid-1980s. it was pointed out that during that time, he passionately pursued the strategy of developing Capital City Open-bond Credit Unions, resulting in the formation of the City of Bridgetown Cooperative Credit Union Ltd. in Barbados and Kingstown Co-operative Credit Union Ltd. in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Edwards’s service culminated in his election to the Board of the World Council of Credit Unions, where he became the first Caribbean citizen to be elected Chairman of that body. It was noted that the services rendered by those honoured were “beyond the call of duty” to the region.
CCCU’s President Yvonne Ridguard hailed the three awardees as true Credit Union heroes and role models to all within the movement. She told the gathering that they have a reason to be proud for being associated and members of the credit union. She reassured them of the union’s gratitude for their dedication in developing a number of persons who were volunteers within the credit union.
Ridguard pledged that the CCCU would continue to recognize and honour those making invaluable contributions to the union, declaring that the era in which people gave so much of themselves and were hardly recognized had come to an end. She declared that it was important to recognize the labours of members, who, over the years, contribute to the development of credit unions.
In their acceptance speeches, the two honourees and CUNA Insurance representative, expressed their profound gratitude and underscored their enthusiasm to continue serving the Credit Union in whatever way possible so as to ensure continued achievements.
