General information 1. Venue The Workshop will be held in Bank of Jamaica Auditorium. The Bank s telephone number is (876) 922-0750. 2. Hotel Accommodation Accommodation for Delegates has been reserved at the Courtleigh Hotel and Suites. The hotel is in close proximity to Emancipation Park and New Kingston s shopping district and is approximately 15 minutes drive from the Bank. The address is: The Courtleigh Hotel and Suites 85 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5 (876) 929-9000 (876) 926-7744 salesm@courtleigh.com / sales2@courtleigh.com www.courtleigh.com Note: Participants will be responsible for their expenses and hotel reservations. 3. Transportation Transportation will be provided for delegates to and from the Norman Manley International Airport, to and from the Workshop Venue and all official social functions. The transportation will depart 30 minutes before the scheduled start of each event and 25 minutes after the end of the final session each day. Transportation to the Norman Manley International Airport will be available from the hotel three hours prior to your scheduled departure time. 4. Access to the Bank of Jamaica Each participant will be issued with photo ID Badge, which must be worn at all times. 5. Registration Registration will be conducted from 8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. on Monday, 07 July 2014. Each Delegate will thereafter be asked to sign the attendance register for the remaining day of the Workshop. 6. Meals Bank of Jamaica will provide lunch and coffee breaks during the workshop days. 1
7. Telephone Calls Delegates wishing to make telephone calls may do so through their hotel, at their own expense. At the sessions, Delegates may visit the Secretariat if such services are required. 8. Currency and Exchange Rate - Jamaica s national currency is the Jamaica Dollar (JMD). - The official exchange rate varies daily. The average daily rate for April 2014 was $102.64. - Currency exchange is available at Bank of Jamaica during banking hours. Banking hours are: Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am 2:00 pm and on Fridays 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. - Most ATM s accept international bank cards with Visa, Master Card, Cirrus and Plus logos. Diners and American Express are accepted in some establishments. 9. General Consumption Tax General Consumption Tax (GCT) of 16.5 percent is added to most products, food items and services. 10. Medical Care and Emergency Two (2) full-time registered nurses are assigned to the Bank s clinic. A medical doctor will be on call if the need arises. 11. Secretariat The Secretariat also located in the Auditorium. Please feel free to call any member of the Secretariat whenever you need assistance or have a matter of concern. Please liaise with the Secretariat for flight confirmation and inform the Secretariat promptly of any change in flight arrangements. 12. Security The Bank s Protection Officers will accompany the Workshop Delegation on all official social events. Protection Officers will also escort Delegates whose departure times require to them to arrive at the airport before 5:00 a.m. 2
The Secretariat Workshop Chairperson Mrs. Andrea Clarke Senior Director, Human Resource, Pension Policy and Training Institute Secretariat Miss Audrey Anderson (Head of Secretariat) Assistant Director, Training Institute Miss Anna-Kaye Smith Training Officer, Training Institute Miss Trishell Williams Administrative Support Officer, Training Institute REPD Representatives 3
Social Event Invitations 2 invitations to be included Details to be provided. 4
About the Bank The Bank of Jamaica, established by the Bank of Jamaica Law (1960), began operations in May 1961, terminating the Currency Board System which had been in existence from 1939. The establishment of the Central Bank was in recognition of the need for an appropriately regulated financial structure to encourage the development process, particularly as Jamaica was about to embark on the road to political independence. The main objectives of the Central Bank were defined by the Bank of Jamaica Act to be: To issue and redeem notes and coins To keep and administer the reserves of Jamaica To influence the volume and conditions of supply of credit so as to promote the fullest expansion in production, trade and employment, consistent with the maintenance of monetary stability in Jamaica and the external value of the currency To foster the development of money and capital markets in Jamaica To act as banker to the Government The Bank is located at Nethersole Place which is named after the first Minister of Finance, Noel N. Nethersole. Mr. Nethersole was instrumental in the establishment of the Central Bank. Mission Statement The Mission of the Bank of Jamaica is to formulate and implement monetary and regulatory policies to safeguard the value of the domestic currency and to ensure the soundness and development of the financial system by being a strong and efficient organization with highly motivated and professional employees working for the benefit of the people of Jamaica. 5
About Jamaica Jamaica, officially the Commonwealth of Jamaica, is the fourth largest island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometres (145 mi) in length, up to 80 kilometres (50 mi) in width, and 10,990 square kilometres (4,240 sq mi) in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea. The indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taínos name for the island was Xaymaca, meaning the "Land of Wood and Water" or the "Land of Springs. After Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1492, it became a Spanish possession known as Santiago. In 1655 it became an English colony under the name Jamaica. It achieved full independence from Britain on August 6, 1962. With 2.8 million people, it is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. It remains a Commonwealth realm in concert with the Monarchy of Jamaica holding ultimate executive power, where Queen Elizabeth II is the current head of state and Queen of Jamaica. The head of government and Prime Minister of Jamaica is currently Portia Simpson-Miller who holds full legislative power of the country. Kingston, the capital, is the country's largest city, with a population of 937,700. Jamaica has a large diaspora around the world consisting of Jamaican citizens migrating from the country. Geographically, it is divided into 14 parishes. Jamaica celebrated 50 years of Independence from Britain on 06 August 2012. The country s most notable achievements are in sports and music. Climate The climate in Jamaica is tropical, with hot and humid weather, although higher inland regions are more temperate. 6