Events and Training

Second International Research Conference on Empirical Approaches to Anti-money Laundering and Financial Crime Suppression

In January 2020, the Central Bank of The Bahamas hosted the inaugural International Research Conference on Empirical Approaches to AML and Financial Crime Suppression. Feedback from presenters and participants at this conference indicated strong support to repeat the event.

Accordingly, the Central Bank intends to host the second iteration of this conference, virtually in deference to Covid-linked travel and meeting risks, on 27 and 28 January 2021. We are also holding 29 January as a reserve day, should the volume and quality of papers submitted demand an expansion of the conference. On each day, the conference paper sessions will run from 10 AM to noon and then 1 PM to 3 PM, Eastern Standard Time.

Paper selection will be conducted by a reader panel chaired by Professor Peter Reuter of the University of Maryland. We are seeking to select up to 12 papers for this virtual conference, but that number may increase or decrease based upon the quality of the submissions.

Inaugural Global Research Conference On Empirical Approaches To Anti-Money Laundering & Financial Crime

The Central Bank of The Bahamas is pleased to announce that, with substantial support from the Caribbean Development Bank, IDB Lab, and the Association of Supervisors of Banks of the Americas, we are hosting the inaugural global research conference on empirical approaches to AML and financial crime. This conference is intended to provide a forum for the world’s leading academic and applied researchers, in areas relevant to data-driven approaches to suppressing financial crime. We are gratified to note that author support for the inaugural conference has been excellent, with 18 papers selected from over 30 submissions. These papers originate from five continents and represent a good spread of academic, multilateral agency, regulator, and practitioner thinking.

Efforts in Reducing the Negative Impact of Loss of Correspondent Banking Relationships in The Caribbean: The Supervisors and Financial Institutions Role

The objective of the training is to address, from a practical standpoint, the risk of losing correspondent banking relationships (the de-risking phenomenon) in the Caribbean region, from the perspective of the Bank Supervisors and the Correspondent Banks.

46th annual CAB Conference & Annual General Meeting

At the 46th annual CAB Conference, we will have two days of bridging banking services with customer experiences creating connections that transcend the traditional relationship. CAB Conference 2019 will be held in the lovely territory of Sint Marten. The conference will bring Directors, Presidents, CEOs, Managing Directors and Finance, Operations, Projects Executives from our honorary, general and service members, various correspondent banks and service providers as well as representatives of regional and international regulatory bodies. The purpose is to promote the sharing of views, solutions, and ideas on changes across the region. Our esteemed presenters will guide the conversation to allow brainstorming on issues facing the industry right now. CAB is accepting presentations that reflect best practices in the field, informed by theory, research, and practice.

Call for Challenges: Blockchain Innovation Initiative (BII)

During this call for challenges, problem owners – i.e. Caribbean-based organizations from the public or private sector – will submit a problem that could be addressed through blockchain technology. A call for solutions will then be launched to give blockchain experts from around the world the opportunity to present a relevant solution.

The solutions providers deemed most relevant and qualified will be invited to pitch their proposal at the Blockchain Symposium in February 2020. These pitch sessions will enable the Caribbean problem owners to consider piloting the solution in their organization. If there is an interest on both sides, a request for technical assistance can be submitted to facilitate the planning and implementation of the pilot project. The pilot stage will provide problem owners with technical support to refine the problem, understand the implications of the solutions, and facilitate the implementation. The value of the technical assistance grant may range from USD$25,000 to $100,000 depending on the scope of the project and the availability of funds.

Anti-Money Laundering for Correspondent Banking – Certificate Program

The risks posed by correspondent banking are of concern to regulators, bankers, and broker-dealers in securities alike. U.S. financial institutions have faced severe penalties as a result of their foreign correspondent banks having weak BSA/AML compliance programs. The various sections of the USA PATRIOT Act and implementing regulations in the Bank Secrecy Act have been in the final form of a number of years now.

This course will discuss the practical applications of the regulatory requirements, with a particular emphasis on nested accounts. This course is designed for both U.S. financial institutions offering correspondent banking as well as for foreign financial institutions that have or are seeking U.S. correspondent banking relationships. U.S. financial institutions will acquire practical knowledge to apply to their correspondent compliance programs. Foreign financial institutions” will have a much better understanding and appreciation for the requirements of the correspondent bank and be better able to demonstrate its compliance program and contract requirements.

Efforts in Reducing the Negative Impact of Loss of Correspondent Banking Relationships in The Caribbean: The Supervisors and Financial Institutions Role

The objective of the training is to address, from a practical standpoint, the risk of losing correspondent banking relationships (the de-Risking phenomenon) in the Caribbean region, from the perspective of the Bank Supervisors and the Correspondent Banks.

The course also seeks to generate awareness about the current challenges in the Caribbean, in both Regulatory & Supervisory Authorities and Financial Institutions; and identified weaknesses related to the de-risking phenomenon. The course, will facilitate the exchange of experiences within the participants and between the participating institutions, to gain a better understanding of their perception about the objectives set for the Training Program (TP), the weaknesses identified, and their possible solutions.