News &
Community Service
2008
. 2007
. 2006
IMPROMPTU SPEECH COMPETITION CONTINUES
The GBTI Regent Street branch sponsored Annual
Inter-Secondary School Impromptu Speaking Competition for Fourth Formers
continued on Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at the GBTI Recreational Centre.
In the first contest, Richard Ishmael Secondary
showed better composure and awareness in winning against St. Stanislaus
College, scoring 340 points to St. Stanislaus’ 326 points.
The St Stanislaus team pulled the topics: Seeing
is believing!; Should there be more agricultural education in Guyana?;
Manners maketh man.
The Richard Ishmael Secondary team pulled the
topics: Is there something as a generation gap?; What animal characteristics
do you admire; What should be done about the state of West Indies Cricket?
The other match for the day between School of
the Nations and North Georgetown Secondary School did not come off because
the North Georgetown Secondary School has pulled out of the competition.
The judges for the match contested were Mr. Geoffrey
Smith, Ms. Magda Pollard and Ms. Abiola Inniss.
The Competition continues on Tuesday, May 06,
2008 with St. John’s College coming up against Annandale Secondary
and Central High School competing against Covent Garden Secondary.
VREED-EN-HOOP BRANCH CONDUCTS CAREER
GUIDANCE SESSION AT WEST DEMERARA SECONDARY
Our Vreed-en-Hoop Branch conducted a Career Guidance
Session at the West Demerara Secondary School, on April 24th, 2008.
The attendees were 5th Form students of the school.
The session covered a range of topics relevant
to their entry into the job market, including:
• Careers in Banking
• How to complete a Job Application
• Preparing for the Interview
• Conduct in the Office
The session lasted over two (2) hours and the
students were very attentive and interactive. The facilitators of the
session were Mrs Rambha Persaud – Chandebal, Manager of the Branch
and Mrs Dahana Ramjist, Marketing and Public Relations Officer.

Head of the Business Department, Mr. Harry Narine
expressed their thanks to the Bank for conducting the session and noted
its relevance to the business curriculum at the school. He also noted
that the Branch has over the years presented prizes to the Best Graduating
Student and Best Graduating Business Student at the School’s Graduating
Ceremony.
Tokens and relevant brochures were distributed
by the Branch to all in attendance.
REGENT STREET BRANCH COMMENCES IMPROMPTU SPEECH
COMPETITION FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS
On Thursday, April 24, 2008 our Regent Street Branch commenced its Signature
Activity – 2nd Annual Inter Secondary School Impromptu Speech
Competition at the GBTI Recreational Centre, Kaieteur Road, Bel Air.
The competition involves Fourth Formers from sixteen secondary schools,
and runs for one month.
Mr Mario Farinha, Manager of the Regent Street
Branch, in his opening remarks stated that, in hosting this competition
the Branch sought to provide the medium that emphasizes the value of
this art form, and also assist the Ministry of Education in fulfilling
part of its objective as it relates to the English Language curriculum.
Ms, Genevieve Whyte-Nedd, Chief Education Officer,
who offered remarks on behalf of her Ministry commended the Branch on
its initiative to resurrect this lost art form and anticipated a sucessful
competition.
The competition was declared open by Chief Executive
Officer of GBTI, Mr Radhakrishna Sharma, who stated that as the largest
Guyanese owned banking institution, GBTI sees itself as having an important
role in the development and support of activities that seek to build
individuals and communities, since this benefits the entire country.
Mr Sharma in his remarks also stated that in
many cases the business sector points to a lack of key skills in young
job aspirants as being a drawback to employment. Employers are constantly
emphasizing that employability skills such as, communication, team work,
problem solving, self-management, planning and organizing, technology,
learning and initiative and enterprise are required by young people
to ensure a successful transition from school to the business word and
throughout their working lives.
To assist young people to improve their employability
skills and enable them to function appropriately in the job market,
it is therefore necessary that the school’s curricula be adjusted
to accommodate the industry’s requirements. According to Mr Sharma,
all public and private sector organizations and non-governmental agencies
must play a committed role.
He further stated that, GBTI has maintained a
well-known focus on young people over the years, from our Early Savers
Club, which provides an opportunity for young people to save for their
future to our Career Guidance Sessions conducted by our branches, that
seek to prepare school leavers for the working environment.
First Match - President’s College vs Christ Church Secondary
The first match in the First Round of competition
was held after the Opening Ceremony with President’s College competing
against Christ Church Secondary. President’s College was adjudged
the winner of the competition with a combined total of 571 points while
Christ Church Secondary scored 569 points.
The topics selected by the students in this match
were:
Unemployment & today’s youths.
You can make a child feel special by…
Violence in schools.
How important is volunteering in society?
Cruelty to animals.
How to deal to with a school bully?
The panel of judges for the match comprised Mrs
Bernadette Persaud – Senior Lecturer, University of Guyana, Mrs
Joan Kendall – Retired Headmistress, St. Joseph’s High School
and Mrs Barbara Sukhai – Management Consultant.
The First Round of Competition continues as follows:
Tuesday, April 29, 2008: St. Stanislaus College
vs Richard Ishmael Secondary
School of the Nations vs North Georgetown Secondary
Tuesday May 6th 2008: Annandale Secondary vs
St John’s College
Central High vs Covent Garden Secondary
Thursday, May 8, 2008: St Rose’s High vs
Mae’s Secondary School
Queen’s College vs. Cummings Lodge Secondary School
LETHEM BRANCH SPONSORS
PRIZE AT ANNUAL RUPUNUNI RODEO
The Annual Rupununi Rodeo was held during Easter
weekend (March 22nd – 23rd 2008) at the Triple ‘R’
Rodeo Ground just outside of Central Lethem.
Our Lethem Branch sponsored the prize for the
Bare Back Bull riding competition which was won by Mr. Paul St.Hill
of the Dadanawa Ranch. The bull riding competition is the main event
at the Rodeo and attracted the most contestants in all of the events.
The prize of $50,000 was presented to Mr. St Hill by Mr. Karl Sookram,
Supervisor of the Branch.
Other competitions included the Bare Back horse
riding and roping, Barrel races and wild cow milking. The event which
is a major attraction during the Easter weekend was attended by approximately
3500 persons.
LETHEM BRANCH
CONDUCTS CAREER GUIDANCE SESSION AT ST. IGNATIUS SECONDARY
On March
12th and 14th, 2008 our Lethem Branch, as part of our efforts at developing
young people, conducted Career Guidance Sessions for approximately forty
(40) Fifth Form students of the St Ignatius Secondary School.
The sessions
covered a range of topics relevant to their entry into the job market,
including, Careers in Banking, How to Complete a Job Application, Preparing
for the Interview and Conduct in the Office. The facilitators at the
sessions were Mr Mohan Tularam, Manager of the Branch and Mr Karl Sookram,
Supervisor.

The Headmistress
and teachers along with the students thanked the Branch for conducting
the session and noted its relevance to the business curriculum at the
school. They have also invited the Branch to make the presentation an
annual feature.
PROVIDENCE BRANCH OBSERVES 1ST
ANNIVERSARY
Our Providence Branch celebrated its 1st Anniversary
on March 14th, 2008.
The branch was decorated with balloons, fresh flowers and an Anniversary
banner. Customers conducting business during the day were treated to
cake and tokens at the completion of their transactions.
A cocktail reception was held in the evening for corporate customers.
Mr Surendra Samdass, Manager of the Branch, in his remarks to the attendees,
thanked them for their support and anticipated their continued business
relations.
PARIKA BRANCH HOSTS SCHOOL TOUR
Students and their teacher of the Leguan Secondary
School benefited from an educational tour of our Parika Branch on March
10, 2008.
During the tour they were addressed on the History
of Banking, the History of GBTI and the services offered by the Bank
by Mrs Nandanee Persaud, Manager and Ms Marilyn Li, Senior Supervisor.
The students were also given a demonstration on the use of our Money
Zone Automated Teller Machine.

At the end of the tour the group was treated
to snacks and received tokens.
GBTI
LAUNCHES "QUICK CASH" PREPAID CARD
On Thursday, March 6, 2008, the Guyana Bank for
Trade and Industry Ltd introduced its newest card product, the GBTI
Quick Cash Card, as part of efforts aimed at providing a superior andenhanced
service for the benefit of the Guyanese banking public.
The GBTI
Quick Cash Card is a pre-loaded Guyana dollar money card to which customers
can load their cash funds. The Card is not linked with a bank account.
However, cardholders cash conduct regular banking business using the
Card: credit salaries and money transfers, make withdrawals and pay
utility bills at ATMs and make purchases using our Point of Sale machines.
With the
GBTI Quick Cash Card users can load cash up to G$250,000 and travel
around the country and make purchases, pay for services and obtain cash
using the Bank’s extensive ATM and Point-of-Sale network.
Chairman
of the Bank’s Board of Directors, Mr. Robin Stoby, told a select
gathering which included heads or representatives of several private
and public sector companies that anyone,regardless of whether they are
already the holder of a GBTI card can apply for the Quick Cash prepaid
card. For employers, he said, the Card would lend to the saving of time
and administrative costs in the payment of salaries.
The Chairman
noted that when GBTI embarked on a course over a decade ago to bring
to the Guyanese public the kind of banking products and services obtained
by others in the developed world, it also made a conscious decision
to embrace the technological advancements in the area of banking. He
indicated that further that the Bank recently purchased a newcore application
banking software out of Canada to allow for improved service delivery,
and has began construction of its new Head Office at High and Young
Streets, Kingston, which will house the Bank’s Private Banking
Department.
Mr. Radhakrishna
Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, in his address to the gathering, stated
that the Bank’s aim in this card strategy is to reduce the use
of cash by customers and allow them to improve their personal security.
"The levels of crime directly related to our cash based payment
system dictates that we seek a credible and reliable alternative, such
as offered in the plasticcard environment." He noted the GBTI Quick
Cash Card is an excellent and attractive alternative for cash-based
solutions such as payroll payments and international remittances, as
instead of paying cash to their clients, organisations and money transfer
agencies can pay the funds to the GBTI Quick Cash Card.
The C.E.O.
added that at GBTI all Guyanese now have access to the complete range
of card based financial products: G$ and US$ Prepaid Cards, G$ and US$
Credit Cards and an array of G$ Debit Cards.
Chairing
the afternoon’s ceremony was Mr. Sean Noel, Assistant Manager,
Research and Planning, GBTI.
LETHEM
BRANCH SUPPORT MASHRAMANI CELEBRATIONS
Our Lethem
Branch continued its support of Mashramani celebrations in the region,
for the second year, as they presented a trophy for the Best Float on
Republic Day, February 23, 2008

The Celebrations commenced with a float parade
with entries from the Regional Democratic Council, Wayka's Shop and
Tabatinga. The Spectacular parade conculed at the Tabating sports Ground
for the prize giving ceremony.
The entry by the Regional Democratic Council
was adjudged the Best Float which was withnessed by large number of
persons. The trophy was presented to a representative of the RDC's contingent
by Mr. Mohan Tularam Manager of our Lethem branch.
ANNA REGINA PRESENTS
BOOKS TO LIMA SANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL
Our Anna Regina branch on February 12, 2008 donated
a number of books to the Lima Sands Primary School. The school was recently
commissioned and the presentation is the first of its kind towards the
establishment of a library at the school.

The books were presented by Ms Tagekumarie Dalchand,
Supervisor’s Assistant of the Branch to Mrs Gangadai Baldeo, Headmistress
of the school. Mrs Baldeo thanked the Branch for the generous donation
as it will greatly benefit the children of the school.
PARIKA
BRANCH OBSERVES 9TH ANNIVERSARY
On February 8, 2009 our Parika
Branch celebrated its 9th Anniversary with activities to thank their
customers for their patronage though the years.
The Branch was decorated
with balloons and flowers and cake and tokens were given to all customers
who conducted business through the day. Also displayed in the Banking
Hall was a collage of photographs of Community Service Activities for
the previous year.
In the afternoon a cocktail
reception was held for corporate customers. Mrs Nandanee Persaud, Manager
of the Branch, in her remarks to the attendees, thanked them for their
support through the years and look forward to serving them in the coming
years.
Through the years the Branch
has given back to the community and customers through such activities
as school tours for secondary school students, Career Guidance Sessions,
sponsorship of prizes at Graduations, repainting of pedestrian crossings,
the hosting of an Annual Christmas Luncheon for underprivileged children
within the community and donations and other charitable work.
PARIKA
BRANCH PRESENTS REFERENCE MATERIALS TO GREENWICH PARK PRIMARY
Our Parika Branch on February
4, 2008 donated a sum of reference materials to the Greenwich Park Primary
School’s Library.

The presentation was done by Mrs Nandanee Persaud, Manager of the Branch
to Mr Edmund Evelyn, Headmaster of the School. In his remarks he commended
the branch for making the presentation, as it will greatly aid the learning
and development of the young people.
CORRIVERTON
BRANCH CELEBRATES 11TH ANNIVERSARY
Our Corriverton
Branch on January 16th, 2008 celebrated its 11th Anniversary with activities
to thank customers for their patronage through the years.
The Branch
was decorated with balloons and flowers and cake and tokens were given
to all customers who conducted business through the day. A collage of
photographs of community activities done for the past year was also
displayed in the Banking Hall.
A cocktail reception was also held for corporate customers in the afternoon.
Ms Roxanne Welcome, Manager of the Branch, in her remarks to the attendees,
thanked them for their support through the years and look forward to
serving them in the future.
Over the
years the Branch has given back to the community and customers thorough
such activities as the hosting of a Cycling Event, Career Guidance Sessions
at various schools, repainting of pedestrian crossings, Donations and
other charitable work.
PARIKA
BRANCH DONATES TO NDC
On September 27, 2007 a cheque
was presented to the Chairman of the Mora / Parika Neighbourhood Democratic
Council, by Mrs Nandanee Persaud, Manager of our Parika Branch, for
the acquisition of a garbage receptacle.

The receptacle is now completed and is located
in close proximity to the Branch.