Credit Unions’ Strategic Confab

Lincoln Bailey

As the cooperative movement celebrates 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives, as designated by the United Nations, the Jamaica Cooperative Credit League (JCCUL) is coming to Montego Bay next week for its 70th anniversary.

The milestone event will see the League’s annual convention this year taking the form of a Strategic Conference running from Thursday, May 24 to Sunday 27 at the Ritz Carlton Golf & Spa Resort in Rose Hall. It will also include the annual general meeting on Saturday when the League reports to 42 affiliated credit unions on its performance during 2011.

Keynote speaker for the Strategic Conference is a celebrated Jamaican who hails from the deep rural district of Mt. Lebanus in St. Thomas. He comes to Jamaica from Africa, where he is now co-owner of the largest coal mine in Malawi.

Lincoln Bailey, a trained Energy Economist, is Executive Director of Mchenga Coal Mine Ltd. with annual sales of US$7.7 million from mining 85,000 tonnes of coal each year.

“I am looking forward to returning to Jamaica to participate in this important conference, especially as it will afford me the opportunity to make the case for coal as the natural choice for low-cost power generation on the island, which I believe is crucial for continued economic and social development,” said Bailey.

He will address an expected 300 credit union members and a limited number of representatives of Corporate Jamaica on the topic: “Coal as an efficient and cost-effective alternative source of fuel for electricity in developing countries”.

Bailey’s presentation will be followed by a panel discussion on:  “Alternative energy sources:  The solution to lowering business costs and increasing foreign investments?” with panelists: Minister of Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell; President and CEO of Jamaica Broilers Group, Christopher Levy; CEO, Caribbean Cement Company Limited, Francis ‘Tony’ Haynes; Dr. Maurice McNaughton, Director, Centre of Excellence, Mona School of Business, and David Barrett, Energy Consultant of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica.  

Although he left Jamaica at age eight to be with his parents in the UK, he has kept in touch with family and friends on the island over the nearly 50 years since he has lived abroad.

While in Jamaica, Mr. Bailey is also expected to be the main presenter at the Mona School of Business Breakfast Series set for Tuesday, May 29.

Mr. Bailey is looking forward to interacting with his fellow Jamaicans and making a contribution to debate on future power generation source for the island. He will be accompanied by his spouse Evelyn Wangari. 

Two other panel discussions will be held on the same day, starting with  “Exploring investment and growth opportunities within the Caribbean region”, with such panelists as Teaching Fellow, Mona School of Business, Ralph Thomas; Chairman of Supreme Ventures Foundation, Dr. David McBean; former Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Dr. Christopher Tufton; President, Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions, Yvonne Ridguard Harris, and Managing Director/CEO of CUNA Mutual Caribbean, Andre Gooingdoo.

The third panel discussion for the day will be on “Jamaican Diaspora:  A potential resource for global outreach and leverage for Brand Jamaica.”  Among the panelists for that discussion will be Chairman, RMP Group, Richard Powell; Future Leaders Representative for the USA on the Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board, David Mullings; former Commissioner, Tax Administration Jamaica, Viralee Lattibeaudiere, and CEO, Anbell Agencies, Andrew Pairman.