Nassau, The Bahamas – Vivian Group Founding Principal and Managing Director, Gabriella Fraser, who is also the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the Bahamas National Statistical Institute (BNSI), was a presenter at the February 15, 2024, Climate, Currency, and Central Banking Conference.
Ms. Fraser was a panellist in the session, “Currency Issues: Bahamian Dollar, Digital Currencies, and the Future of the US Dollar”. She presented a user perspective on currency issues, including financial inclusion and the Bahamian central banking digital currency, the Sand Dollar. She shared findings from a recent financial inclusion survey exercise conducted by the Vivian Group.
The conference was presented jointly by the US-based Global Interdependence Center and the University of The Bahamas.
Other panellists included Danielle DiMartino Booth, Chief Strategist, QI Research, and Tarron Khemraj, William & Marie Selby Chair of Economics, New College Florida. The session was moderated by Zhivargo Laing, Executive Director of the Government and Public Policy Institute and Senior Policy Fellow at the University of The Bahamas.
The initiative was part of ORG Bahamas’ “Be Clear Bahamas Program”. According to ORG Bahamas, “the Be Clear Bahamas Program is designed to empower students in various aspects crucial for informed decisions”. Be Clear Bahamas is a three-month initiative.
Over that period, students learn about governance, public trust, media literacy, financial literacy, and critical thinking. ORG Bahamas describes these subject areas as forming “the cornerstone of the program”.
Ms. Fraser’s presentation was built around awareness, knowledge, skills, attitude, and behaviour. Components she shared as essential to sound financial decision making.
