St. George– “This Government is committed to the reform of our Statutory Bodies and State-Owned Enterprises to ensure that they deliver their mandate in a professional, efficient, and effective manner”. That declaration was made by Minister for Finance Hon. Dennis Cornwall when he addressed the newly accredited Directors of seven State-owned Enterprises (SoEs) and Statutory Bodies (SBs) on Wednesday, June 14, 2023.

It was held at the Coyaba Beach Resort.

The Directors’ Education and Accreditation Programme Reception and Presentation of Certificate Ceremony celebrated the success of the first cohort of twenty-five directors who, in February 2023, undertook the rigorous training and assessment of Directors’ Education and Accreditation Programme (DEAP) of the Chartered Governance Institute Canada (CGIC).

It was done in collaboration with the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange (ECSE).

Delivering the keynote address, Chairperson of the Integrity Commission, Ambassador Gillian Bristol pointed the accredited directors to the mandate of the Integrity Commission to inter alia, “…. ensure integrity in public life.” She expressed confidence in the benefits of directors training, asserting, “It is testimony to a strong sentiment throughout Grenada that there must be integrity in public life, in governance. I am confident that the Directors are mindful of the gravity of the trust placed in them and that they will, especially with the benefit of the education they have now received, execute their charge with all integrity”.

An equally significant development on Wednesday evening was the creation of a platform to ensure that directors can network and develop themselves, with the launch of the Grenada Association of Accredited Directors (GAAD).

This initiative is spearheaded by Director Vincent Roberts, Accredited Director (Chairman of National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission – NTRC), In his address, Interim chairman of GAAD, Director Roberts highlighted the thinking behind its establishment, postulating that “The formation of GAAD reflects the recognition that effective corporate governance is vital for the sustainable growth and success of businesses. By bringing together accredited directors, the association aims to create a platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and capacity building. This collective effort will undoubtedly contribute to raising the overall standard of corporate governance practices in Grenada”.

The first cohort of twenty-five (25) Accredited Directors are from: –

• National Water & Sewerage Authority (NAWASA)
• National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC)
• Grenada Electricity Services Ltd (GRENLEC)
• Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC)
• Grenada Bureau of Standards (GBS)
• Financial Complex Limited (FCL)
• Grenada Development Bank (GDB)