Memorial Mass for Sir Dwight Venner set for January 21st, his 71st birthday

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Photo ; Sir Dwight Venner and the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, former Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Dr. Douglas is the longest service Minister of Finance in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) and served with Sir Dwight for nearly 20 years.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – A Memorial Mass for the late former Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Governor Sir K. Dwight Venner will be held on Saturday January 21^st2017.

Parish Priest Father Manuel Antao announced during Mass on Sunday 8^th January, that the Memorial Mass will be held at the Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral, East Independence Square, Basseterre at 6:30 pm.

The Memorial Mass, which will be held during the regular service on Saturday 21^stJanuary, coincides with Sir Dwight’s 71^st birthday.

Sir Dwight passed away at the age of 70 on December 22, 2016.

The Barbados Central Bank Governor Dr. DeLisle Worrell reflected on the late governor’s many accomplishments during his lengthy career.

Dr. Worrell praised Sir Dwight, who was his classmate at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, for his “vision and inventiveness,” adding that “Dwight’s crowning achievement was the transformation of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.”

“He understood well that the power of central banks in economies like ours depends on the quality and clarity with which we discuss and explain our economic circumstances, and how best we may turn them to advantage,” Worrell said.

Prior to his retirement in December 2015, Sir Dwight was the world’s longest serving central bank governor, having been at the helm of the St. Kitts-based ECCB for 26 years beginning in 1989. He was also intimately involved in the establishment of other financial institutions in the Eastern Caribbean, including the Eastern Caribbean Home Mortgage Bank and the stock exchange.

The Bankers Association of Saint Lucia described Sir Dwight as “a committed regionalist.”

Sir Dwight made a significant impact on the financial services sector within St. Lucia and the wider OECS territory and was well respected by the banking industry given his vast knowledge and experience. His guidance and support was paramount to the progress and success of the indigenous banks of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.

The bank said during Sir Dwight’s tenure as Governor, the ECCB grew in stature and service. He led many reforms. The banking and financial system expanded and remained stable throughout various financial crises. Above all, the EC dollar remained strong.

“Sir Dwight wrote extensively on the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, development of the Caribbean and central banking. He was the architect of affiliate institutions such as the Eastern Caribbean Stock Exchange, the most modern in the Caribbean, and the Eastern Caribbean Home Mortgage Bank. He was an avid sports fan especially cricket and football.”

Sir Dwight was an economist by training and was educated at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Jamaica where he obtained both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in economics.

He served as a junior research fellow at the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of the West Indies and then as a lecturer in economics from 1974 to 1981.

He wrote and published extensively in the areas of monetary and international economics, central banking, public finance, economic development, political economy and international economic relations.

Prior to becoming governor of the Central Bank, he served in the position of Director of Finance and Planning in the St. Lucia government between November 1981 and November 1989.

Sir Dwight received the award of Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1996 in St. Lucia and was recognised as a Distinguished Graduate of the University of the West Indies on its 50^th Anniversary in July 1998.

In June 2001, he was awarded Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for services to the financial sector.

In October 2003, the Sir Dwight received an honorary degree, the Doctor of Laws from the University of the West Indies.

In December 2011, he was awarded the St. Lucia Cross for distinguished and outstanding service of national importance to St. Lucia.

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