March 28, 2011 No. 8/11-G Training Programme for Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and Indigenous Financial Institutions (FIs) A training programme for representatives of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and Indigenous Financial Institutions (FIs), is underway at the Jolly Beach Resort in Antigua. The training programme is being executed by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), in collaboration with the Antigua and Barbuda Development Bank, and runs from March 21 to April 13, 2011.At the official opening ceremony, participants and other specially invited guests were provided with a comprehensive overview of the rationale for the training programme, including the existing challenges facing financial institutions in the region and the importance of investing in human capital, and the link between improved financial performance of financial institutions and their ability to access funding for expansion and diversification. Presentations were made by Mr. Peter Blackman, Officer-In-Charge, Private Sector Development Division, CDB; Mr. Sean Cenac, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, The Economy and Public Administration (Antigua); Mr. Donald Charles, General Manager of the Antigua and Barbuda Development Bank; and Mr. Duleep Cheddie, Chief Executive Officer of Eastern Caribbean Home Mortgage Bank. The training programme agenda includes four workshops as follows:(a) Loan Portfolio Administration and Management for Managers, Loan Officers and Loan Administration staff.(b) Credit Appraisal for Managers, Project and Loan Officers.(c) Risk Management for Managers, Financial Officers, Project and Loan Officers.(d) Key Performance Indicators for FIs targeted at Directors and Senior Managers Ms Lisa Harding, Investment Officer in CDB's Private Sector Development Division, is the workshop coordinator. She says "the overall objective of the training programme is to build institutional capacity across key operational areas in the financial institutions of CDB's Borrowing Member Countries by promoting and improving the quality of loan management and administration, risk management and credit appraisal". Twenty-six participants representing nine Caribbean countries: Antigua, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, were in attendance at the start of the first workshop in the series; namely Loan Portfolio Administration and Management. Mr. Peter Blackman, Officer-In-Charge, Private Sector Development Division (PSSD), CDB and Workshop Coordinator, Ms Lisa Harding, CDB addressing participants belowMr. Peter Blackman, Officer-In-Charge, Private Sector Development Division (PSSD), CDB and Workshop Coordinator, Ms Lisa Harding, CDB addressing participants below