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

Preface xi From the beginning, Sir Courtney and Dr. King readily accepted the invitation to provide recollections of their terms in office. More recently, former governor Mr. Winston Cox and Dr. Williams also wrote personal reflections on their sojourns at the Bank. Sir Courtney and former Board member Robert “Bobby” Morris also read a more recent version and supplied many useful suggestions. Sir Courtney remained supportive throughout, answering questions and providing information by telephone, facsimile or e-mail. Mr. Kenneth Brathwaite, who was with the Bank from the very beginning, was a great source of information; he put me back on the right track on a number of occasions. He also provided a copy of the report, compiled by the U.K. consultant, that informed government’s decision to establish the Bank. Several other members of staff - too numerous to mention by name - gave me bits and pieces of information which all added up and helped to clarify the narrative. Carl Moore’s newspaper clippings, which include virtually everything which has been said about the Bank in the local press for the first 27 years of its existence, were particularly helpful. Carl also gave me access to his taped interviews with Sir Neville Osborne and historian Mr. Warren Alleyne who spoke with authority, respectively on the Bank’s formation and the Church Village area. He also brought his painstaking editing to bear on the first, and a subsequent, draft. Additional comments and analysis were supplied by my work colleague, Peter Whitehall, and UK-based reviewer Gary Younge. My old school mate Mr. Anthony Clarke, who was with Barclays Bank when the project started, readily responded to my request for information on the history of that institution. I also got useful assistance from the staff of the Barbados Archives Department, the Reference Section of the Barbados Public Library and the Libraries of the Nation and Advocate newspapers. The typing was started by Arlette King, my secretary at the time, before her transfer to another office. As time progressed, Jessica Mounter- Broome, Merle Taitt and Gloria Oxley also worked on the draft; Yvette Cheeseman had the longest and final stint on the project, putting in tables