Nashauna Drummond, Staff Reporter
LEFT: President of the World Council of Corporate Governance Dr. Madhav Mehera, in animated discussions with (second left), attorney Chris Bovell and businesswoman Audrey Hinchcliffe. They attended the launch of the Jamaican Chapter of the World Council for Corporate Governance.
RIGHT: Talking corporate governance strategies at the launch of the Jamaican chapter of the World Council for Corporate Governance, are (from left) Karl Wright, retired head of VMBS, Ryland Campbell of Capital and Credit Merchant Bank and author Vindel Kerr. The launch was held at the Knutsford Court Hotel, Ruthven Road, on Monday. - WINSTON SILL PHOTOS/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
JAMAICA'S CORPORATE sector will be getting a shakedown with the launch of the Jamaican Chapter of the World Council of Corporate Governance (JCWCCG).
The Jamaican chapter of the non-profit organisation was launched at the Knutsford Court Hotel on Monday.
Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaican chapter, Vindel Kerr, outlined the major function of the JCWCCG. He noted the focus will be to promote corporate governance in Jamaica and the Caribbean focusing on research, training, and public fora. In the future they hope to offer a diploma in directorship in collaboration with the World Council of Corporate Governance. They will advocate for transparency, accountability and effective management of stock-market-listed companies in a quest for equitable socially and environmentally sustainable societies.
GLOBAL CHANGE
Speaking at the launch, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Delano Franklyn, noted that globalisation has changed the way that companies operate. "Globalisation has indicated to companies public and private that it can't be business as usual. They now have to compete locally, globally and hemispherically and this is where corporate governance comes in." He further noted that corruption is a challenge we can't hide from and must deal with.
President of the World Council, Madhav Mehera, noted that we are living in an opaque economy and the goal (of WCCG) is to make it transparent. He noted that, any company whose focus is just to make profit, will not survive. They have to recognise their social responsibility.
Among those who were present for the historic launch were: Barrington Whyte, Gene Douglas, Audrey Hinchcliffe, Ambassador Stewart Stephenson, Ray Barrett, George Watson, Christopher Burrell, Omer Thomas, Anthony Johnson, Karl Wright, Indian High Commissioner Kailash Agrawal and Camile Facey.
