SLYOU Magazine issue 4 | Page 41

through a major credit card facility provider. The St. Lucia Co-operative Credit Union League Ltd. was established on January 26, 1977, to serve the credit unions and co-operatives of Saint Lucia by providing the highest levels of leadership, growth, strength, unity, professional service, quality information, and self-sustenance of the co-operative movement through advocacy. Since then, the League has evolved to serve solely the credit unions as their secondary body, coordinating the collective resources of the credit union movement, facilitating education, and training. The League creates an enabling environment where Saint Lucians use the co- operative concept in meeting their socio-economic needs. President of the Saint Lucia Co- operative Credit Union League Ltd., Gilroy Satney, said that when credit unions act together, they can overcome even the most difficult challenges, even forcing banks to change their traditional modes. “The banking system in our homeland has been reacting because of the unity of co- operators whom they denied loans and other access to banking in the mid-19th century and because co-operators recognized that they had gained from working together,” he said. Satney said the high-quality co- operation, including the credit movement’s philosophy of people helping people, has helped the founders of the credit union movement in Saint Lucia to lay the foundations for making life better for members and shareholders. With technological advances and competitive practices occurring at a fast pace, he contends that the Saint Lucian credit union movement is taking positive and innovative action to maintain its relevance. “Our decision was driven by the fact that our members are becoming increasingly interested in convenience -- the younger ones, in particular. They wanted access to their money 24 hours a day if and when the need arose in a location nearest to them,” Satney explained. Capita Financial Services Inc. is the main collaborator in provision of the new service. Capita Financial Services Inc. is the primary stakeholder with responsibility for managing, acquiring and coordinating the ATM project for the St. Lucia Co-operative Credit Union League Limited, with the latter company representing twelve credit unions and nearly 71,000 members. Capita Financial Services Inc. President and CEO, Paul Maxwell Bevertec CST Inc., a leading full- service one-stop provider of financial services in the Caribbean and further afield, has partnered with Capita Financial Services Inc. to provide the innovative ATM network and related technology associated with UNICARD. Capita Financial Services Inc. President and CEO, Paul Maxwell, welcomed UNICARD, saying strategic partnerships need to be forged in the current competitive business climate if credit unions hope to survive. “We’re very excited for what the implementation of the ATM network means for the credit unions and their members here,” Maxwell said. “Not only has the value proposition for credit union membership been significantly enhanced, but credit unions can now begin to position themselves as primary fi`nancial institutions for their members.” When easy access to funds is provided, Maxwell said, people feel more empowered to conduct business with institutions. With the introduction on UNICARD, he projected an uptick in credit unions’ attractiveness to current and prospective members. President of the Saint Lucia Co- operative Credit Union League Ltd., Gilroy Satney www.slyoumag.com | February - April 2020 SL-YOU | It’s All About Business 39