Both Sides of The Coin: The Story of The Central Bank of Barbados 1972-2017

243 WOMEN ON THE MOVE One measure of the pace of modernisation in the Bank was the growing influence of women in decision making. From the beginning women held important positions, but it is only since the mid-1980s that they have assumed positions of power in the Bank. This was in line with the trend in the wider society which largely reflected the scarcity of women trained in managerial and technical skills. Accordingly, as the Bank’s women employees gained qualifications and experience they started to move up the corporate ladder. Early achievements During the Bank’s formative years, two key activities, currency operations and the Library, were supervised by women, respectively, Griselda Barrow and Maxine Williams. Barrow was recruited from the ECCA in 1973, while Williams, a trained librarian, joined the Bank in the following year. Up to 1984, the most senior positions held by women in the Bank were at the level of deputy head of department. The incumbents were Left to right: Griselda Barrow, Desiree Springer (later Cherebin) and Melvina Robinson. Chapter 5: Some Notable Developments