Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 20, 2021 (SKNIS): The Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis (DBSKN) has joined in the 38thIndependence Celebrations with its first-ever Independence In-House Decorating Competition, which ran from 1st -17thSeptember, reaching a digital audience of over thirty thousand (30K).
In a recent interview, Marketing and Product Development Officer, Ms. Chantelle Rochester said the competition was a way to highlight how the institution has since 1981 assisted the citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis in creating their own independence by providing access to Home-ownership, Business-ownership, Education and fostering team spirit among staff members.
Ms. Rochester further stated that the overall goal of the competition was to allow persons to better connect with the institution, from not only being viewed as just a bank but a partner in achieving their dreams.
“What we wanted to show to the public is that we are more than a bank or a building at the corner of Church and Central Street. We are your financial partner, and we are flexible enough that we can work with you to achieve your dreams no matter how big they may be.”
Another reason she said is to highlight the products and services that the DBSKN offers.
“Student Loans are now six (6%) percent from nine (9%) percent previously; we also have COVID-19 relief funding for students at up to ten thousand (USD10,000) at 3%. A mortgage is now at five (5%) percent; we have Agriculture Funding; we have Business Funding where you can access up to one hundred thousand ($100,000) at a five (5%) percent interest rate. We also have investment opportunities, specifically our Student Loan Investment Product (S.L.I.P), where parents can begin to invest in their child’s future education from an early age and earn 3.5% interest on their savings.” said Ms. Rochester.
The Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis has had a history of being at the cornerstone of small business development. When you think of your community shop, the fisherman or any small or medium scale business you see DBSKN.
The Competition was segmented into two parts. In the first segment, each floor including our Nevis branch was assigned a colour from the national flag. A theme was then attached to each colour. For example, Yellow represents sunshine, however, for DBSKN it means ‘A New Paradigm of Banking’, where we see ourselves developing as an institution, providing a more digitalized experience for our clients. Black represents our African heritage, for us, it is ‘A Journey From Whence We Came’; for Green, we showcased our ‘Agricultural Product’, and for White, hope and liberty, DBSKN’s existence brings hope while our products and service liberates our clients financially. Red represents ‘Financial Freedom’ and hope for economic improvement.
Photos of the decorations were then uploaded to the Bank’s social media platforms in which the public was required to like, share and comment on their favourite of the five decors.
Secondly, September 17, 2021, dubbed as Judging Day, was designated the day where staff were required in a presentation to explain the meaning behind their decor and how their respective themes were incorporated. Various judges visited the bank and cast their vote for first, second and third place in the competition. Judges this year included the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the HonourableTimothy Harris, Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis’s Chair and Board of Directors.
The winners of the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis Interactive Independence Competition will be announced on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, via all DBSKN social media platforms, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram; @developmentbankskn.
