Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698835340982.pdf (Saint Kitts and Nevis)
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank www.eccb-centralbank.org Growth Dialogue with Social Partners P O Box 86, Basseterre, St Kitts Tel: 1 869 465 2537 .
Email: info@eccb-centralbank.org 1 March 2017 Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium, ECCB Headquarters, St Kitts Welcome to the: GROWTH DIALOGUE WITH SOCIAL PARTNERS The Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) is at a critical juncture coming on the heels of the economic difficulties of the recent past and a future pregnant with uncertainty occasioned by, inter alia, derisking and geopolitical developments such as Brexit and Trumpism.
In this moment, the collective leadership of our region must find common cause, stand tall and take collective action to defend our vital economic interests and advance the well-being of our people especially our youth.
The Growth Dialogue creates a unique opportunity for Social Partners to engage the Monetary Council (the highest decision making body of the ECCB) on the all- important issue of economic growth under the theme “Working Together to Achieve Higher and More Inclusive Growth in the ECCU”, and to forge beneficial relationships and build strategies in becoming more competitive and successful.
Thank you for investing your time and ideas as we collectively seek to elevate the growth trajectory and enhance the development outcomes of our region.

Best wishes for an enjoyable and successful Dialogue.
Timothy N J Antoine Governor, ECCB G R O W T H D I A L O G U E with Social Partners Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium, ECCB Headquarters P O Box 86, Basseterre, St Kitts 1 GROWTH DIALOGUE WITH SOCIAL PARTNERS AGENDA WEDNESDAY, 1 MARCH 2017 Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium 9:00 am – 9:10 am Welcome and Opening Remarks 9:10 am – 9:20 am Setting the Stage: Growth and Employment in the ECCU 9:20 am – 10:00 am PANEL I – Challenges and Opportunities for More Inclusive Growth in the ECCU 10:00 am – 11:00 am 11:00 am – 11:15 am DISCUSSION BREAK 11:15 am – 11:45 pm PANEL II – Developing Partnerships for Higher and More Inclusive Growth in the ECCU 11:45 am – 12:45 pm DISCUSSION 12:45 pm – 2:15 pm LUNCH 2:15 pm – 3:15 pm WORKING GROUPS Hon Gaston Browne Chairman, ECCB Monetary Council Timothy N J Antoine Governor, ECCB Aine Brathwaite Vice President, Business Council, Grenada Julian Monrose President St Lucia Trade Union Federation Sandra Ferguson Chairperson, Inter Agency Group of Development Organisations, Grenada Mark Christmas Chair, St Kitts Christian Council Allister Mounsey Macro-Economist, OECS Commission Ian Durant Caribbean Development Bank McDonald Benjamin Adviser – LCROS, World Bank Group 1 – BMOD Meeting Room Group 2 – ECIB Meeting Room Group 3 – Meeting Room I Group 4 – Meeting Room II Group 5 – Meeting Room IV Group 6 – Maltin Moving Conference Centre Group 7 – Maltin Moving Conference Centre Group 8 – HRD Meeting Room 3:20 pm – 4:09 pm Reports from Working Groups Group Spokesperson 4:09 pm – 4:39 pm Summary of Key
 Takeaways and Conclusion Hon Gaston Browne Chairman, ECCB Monetary Council G R O W T H D I A L O G U E with Social Partners Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium, ECCB Headquarters P O Box 86, Basseterre, St Kitts 2 GROWTH DIALOGUE WITH SOCIAL PARTNERS BIOGRAPHIES MCDONALD BENJAMIN McDonald Benjamin is Operations Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank.
He recently returned to Washington following four years as the World Bank’s Country Manager in the Dominican Republic.

Earlier in his 20-year career with the World Bank, he worked as the Bank’s Country Program Coordinator for 15 countries in Western and Southern Africa; Sector Manager for Social Development for Latin America and the Caribbean; Country Manager for Ecuador, and Financial Sector Coordinator in the Philippines.
His work experience ranges from financial sector inclusion to social development, country strategic analysis and program management, and he has worked in countries ranging from East Asia and the Pacific to South Asia, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Prior to joining the World Bank, he was Professorial Lecturer at Georgetown University and Advisor to the Ambassador of Dominica in Washington DC.
A US citizen born to a Dominican father and German mother, he is fluent in six languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Italian.

He holds a PhD in Economics from Georgetown University in Washington DC, with a focus on microfinance, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from University of Oxford.

SANDRA C.A.

FERGUSON Sandra C.A.


Ferguson is from Grenada and has worked in the NGO sector in Grenada for over 20 years as Economic Project Officer, Programme Manager and Secretary-General of the Agency for Rural Transformation (ART).

She is currently the Chair of the umbrella network of indigenous development NGOs, the Inter Agency Group of Development Organisations and represents the organisation on several national committees and other organisations such as the Grouping of Civil Society Organisations.
She is a graduate of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of the West Indies; pursued post graduate studies in Caribbean Agricultural Development at the Universite Antilles- Guyane, Guadeloupe and in Development Studies at the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague.
G R O W T H D I A L O G U E with Social Partners Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium, ECCB Headquarters P O Box 86, Basseterre, St Kitts 3 GROWTH DIALOGUE WITH SOCIAL PARTNERS BIOGRAPHIES JULIAN MONROSE Julian Monrose is currently the Principal of the St Aloysius R.C.

Boys’ Primary School.

Mr. Monrose has been involved in many social, community and sporting organizations and has served them in several capacities.
He has served the St. Lucia Teachers’ Union as President, First Vice President, Branch Representative for Castries, Shop Steward, and member of several internal committees.

Mr. Monrose has represented SLTU at many national and regional workshops, local meetings, negotiations for salary and conditions of work for teachers, and at regional and international meetings.
He is now the longest serving President, having served the organization in that capacity for the past twelve consecutive years, Through Mr. Monrose’s representation of the St. Lucia Teachers’ Union he was elected Founding Vice President of the St. Lucia Trade Union Federation and currently serves the organization as its President.

As President of the Federation, he has been the lead Negotiator for Wages and salaries on behalf of Public Servants.
At the regional level, Mr. Monrose has for three consecutive Biennial Conferences served the Caribbean Union of Teachers (C.U.T.)

as Chairman of the Resolutions Committee.

He served the organization as 3rd Vice President and Chairman of the Sports Committee and later as the 2nd Vice President with responsibility for Industrial Relations.

He is currently the President.

Mr. Monrose has facilitated regional workshops on behalf of Education International and the Caribbean Union of Teachers.
Mr. Monrose has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, the National Insurance Corporation Board and two of its subsidiary companies, the St. Lucia Minimum Wages Commission, National Training Advisory Board, and the Board of the National Skills Development Centre (NSDC) among others.

Mr. Monrose is a qualified teacher and holds a B.Sc.

In Sociology and Management (Double Major) and Masters in Project Management.
He is an Accredited Director with the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (Canada).

G R O W T H D I A L O G U E with Social Partners Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium, ECCB Headquarters P O Box 86, Basseterre, St Kitts 4 GROWTH DIALOGUE WITH SOCIAL PARTNERS BIOGRAPHIES MARK S. CHRISTMAS Rev.

Mark S. Christmas was born on the island of St. Kitts in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
He began to be involved in Church Work at an early age, having been a member of the Boy’s Brigade (2nd St. Kitts Company).

During his teenage years, he was actively involved in his congregation and circuit as a Junior Choir member, a Sunday School Teacher, a Junior Steward, various positions in the Youth Fellowship and Circuit Lay Youth Secretary.
Having both Moravian and Methodist roots, he also became involved in Ecumenical Work in the St. Kitts Christian Council serving on the Ecumenical Youth and Ecumenical Pastoral Relations Committees as a denominational representative.

In September 2000, Mark entered the United Theological College of the West Indies for ministerial formation and pursued a Diploma in Ministerial Studies and also a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Theology at the University of the West Indies.

He graduated in the year 2004.

Rev.


Christmas is now an itinerant Presbyter in the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas, having served as Circuit Minister in the Nassau and South Eleuthera Circuits (2004-2007), as Superintendent in the Andros Circuit (2007-2010) and the South Turks and Caicos Islands Circuit (2011- 2016) in the Bahamas/Turks and Caicos Islands Conference.

He also served as the Secretary of the said Conference (2012-2016).
He is now serving as the Superintendent of the St. Kitts Circuit with direct pastoral charge of the Wesley, Hope Chapel, Challengers, St. Johnston, and Cayon Congregations.

He is also the present Chairman of the St. Kitts Christian Council.

ALLISTER MOUNSEY Allister Mounsey is a Macroeconomist at the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

He has published with various professional journals in areas of labour economics and finance.
He has worked as a Researcher at the University of the West Indies as well as an Economist at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.
G R O W T H D I A L O G U E with Social Partners Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium, ECCB Headquarters P O Box 86, Basseterre, St Kitts 5 GROWTH DIALOGUE WITH SOCIAL PARTNERS BIOGRAPHIES AINE BRATHWAITE Aine Brathwaite is one of two lead consultants with A J Business Solutions supporting small to medium-sized businesses in building sustainable and profitable enterprises through the provision of training in professional development skills.
Having worked in a variety of sectors including education, public relations, a cottage industry, retail, tourism and printing across Jamaica, Guyana, Saint Lucia and Grenada in both private and public sectors, Aine has a range of practical knowledge which she now employs to serve her clients.

Her company has facilitated change management training for staff of major companies in Grenada.
In early 2015 she competed and won one of 15 slots to become accredited to deliver the Women Innovators in the Caribbean (WINC) Accelerator Programme.

She is also the official trainer to the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association.

Aine’s commitment to the business sector and to national development can be seen in her continued activity in various organisations.
During her tenure as President of the Grenada Chamber of industry and Commerce from 2011- 2014, she championed the cause of the small business and was responsible for drawing a significant number of small businesses into the Chamber.

She has represented the private sector at the Social Partners Forum in Grenada in 2014 and currently serves as Deputy Chair of the Grenada Tourism Authority.
She has also represented the private sector on the Grenada IMF Monitoring Committee and is the first Vice President of the OECS Business Council.

She has also spearheaded voluntary services in the areas of the environment, social development and mental health issues.

Aine holds a first degree from the University of the West Indies and post- graduate Diplomas in Education from the University of Guyana and Management Studies from the University of the West Indies.
G R O W T H D I A L O G U E with Social Partners Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium, ECCB Headquarters P O Box 86, Basseterre, St Kitts 6 GROWTH DIALOGUE WITH SOCIAL PARTNERS BIOGRAPHIES IAN DURANT Ian Durant is currently Deputy Director of the Economics Department of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and was previously an Economist in the Bank.

He has done research on debt sustainability and debt restructuring and has worked on policy-based loans for Caribbean countries that involved debt restructuring.
Prior to joining CDB, Ian worked in the Research Department of the Central Bank of Barbados.

He also worked at the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Center (CARTAC) as Macroeconomics Adviser, where he managed technical assistance and capacity building in the area of macroeconomic programming and policy.

Ian has a B.Sc.

from the University of the West Indies, Barbados, and a M.Sc.

from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
G R O W T H D I A L O G U E with Social Partners Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium, ECCB Headquarters P O Box 86, Basseterre, St Kitts 7