Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile: Stamps commemorating the Bank of Uganda’s 40th anniversary Speech by Mr Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, Governor of the Bank of Uganda, at the launch of the 40th anniversary commemorative stamps, Kampala, 3 October 2006. * * * The Board of Directors Bank of Uganda The Managing Director, Posta Uganda Chief Executives of Financial Institutions Management of Bank of Uganda and Posta Uganda Stamp Collectors Invited Guests Ladies and Gentlemen It gives me great pleasure to warmly welcome you all to this auspicious occasion, which is one of the last of the Public series of events that the Bank has held to mark its 40th anniversary having been established in 1966. As we close our celebrations, Let me take this opportunity to thank our partners in the financial and other sectors, the public, present and past bank staff for participating in the various 40th anniversary events that we held. Some of you may wonder why the Bank of Uganda chose to issue commemorative stamps. Stamps and currency are alike in many aspects, namely: 1) both hold intrinsic, aesthetic, cultural, educational and monetary value; 2) they reach and touch the lives of many people, cutting across boundaries of race, colour, education and income status; 3) promote the country’s image; and 4) reflect future aspirations and 5) help recall and record major historic events. It is for this reason that in partnership with Posta Uganda, we decided to issue four commemorative postage stamps that reflect the Bank’s achievements and commitment to economic growth and development of Uganda. Mr. Paul Lubowa of Makerere University designed these stamps. Allow me at this juncture to thank the Management of Posta Uganda and Mr. Lubowa for enabling us to realize this goal. The features for each of the stamps are well set out in the distributed brochures and posters; let me however highlight some of them. The first stamp of shs 400 carries the Uganda’s Independence monument and our 40th anniversary logo – emphasizing the linkage between the Bank’s activities especially fostering price stability and Uganda’s political independence and economy; The second stamp of shs 600 depicts Uganda’s abundant wildlife in support of reviving and promoting tourism and emphasizing the Bank of Uganda’s role in safeguarding the foreign exchange earned; The third stamp of shs 1,600 depicts the tilapia or Ngenge, which is indigenous to Uganda’s tropical waters bodies. AS you all aware, fish, particularly the tilapia and the Nile perch, has become an important export and therefore source of Uganda’s foreign exchange earnings and economic development. This stamp is geared to enhance this industry. The fourth stamp of shs 2,000 features the Mountain Gorilla found in the Bwindi impenetrate Forest & Mgahinga Gorilla reserves. There are less than 600 left in the wild in the entire world! The objective is joining the worldwide effort to preserve this endangered specie and in turn promote tourism to Uganda. In conclusion, let me reiterate Bank of Uganda’s commitment to deliver the Bank’s mission of Fostering Price Stability and a Sound Financial System. It gives me great pleasure to officially launch asset of four the Bank of Uganda Commemorative Stamps. I call upon the Stamp Collectors and the Public to make full use of these stamps. Allow me once again to thank Post Uganda for partnering with us in issuing these stamps.