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

86 public tours of the site. Towards mid-year, the pace of work quickened in order to have some areas ready for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II later in the year. During July, work continued as planned on the ceiling, staircases and entrance of the main building as well as the dressing room entrances and roof of the auditorium. However, progress on the auditorium was slower than expected because the manufacture of the roof frame was behind schedule. The Queen visited the Bank building on October 28 and was received by Minister of State for Planning, Clyde Griffith, the governor and the DFP, Stephen Emtage. Thereafter, accompanied by the governor and Prime Minister, Bernard St.John, (Tom Adams had died seven months earlier), she was taken to the tenth floor to view an exhibition of photographs showing the building at various stages of construction. After meeting the Board of Directors and senior management in the Board Room, the Queen went to the sixth floor to meet construction personnel, then to the ground floor, where she unveiled a plaque to commemorate her visit, and finally to the adjoining Grande Salle to meet Bank staff. By the end of 1985, when all the external work for the main building was complete some $73.5 million had been spent on the headquarters and the auditorium. A proposal to name the auditorium for Frank Collymore, noted Top: Queen Elizabeth ll unveiling a plaque commemorating her visit to the building.. Bottom: The Queen meeting the public.