The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago has been actively involved in various outreach initiatives to support the country’s development.
Outreach
Central Bank’s outreach initiatives demonstrate the Bank’s commitment to promoting economic growth, social well-being and environmental sustainability: To help the public understand how the economy and the Bank’s policies works, the Bank hosts public seminars, webinars, panel discussions and other events on various topics. These sessions are often live-streamed, and an archive is available via the Bank’s YouTube Channel. Copies of the presentations are available here. Other activities such as those conducted through the Museum and Auditorium are also aimed at deepening community engagement.
Annual Research Review Seminar
The CBTT’s Annual Research Review Seminar has long provided a forum for stimulating policy-related discussions among economists, academics, students, and other policymakers from within the economic and financial disciplines, and practitioners from other areas of expertise.
Lecture Series
Both of these lecture series have provided a platform for leading thinkers and experts to share their insights on economics, finance, and development issues. These lectures are highly anticipated events that attract a diverse audience, including policymakers, academics, students, and members of the general public.
The Eric Williams Memorial Lecture Series
The Eric Williams Memorial Lecture Series was established in 1986 in memory of the country’s first Prime Minister, Dr. Eric Williams (1911–1981), an accomplished historian, scholar, and intellectual. Dr. Williams, who led the country to Independence in 1962, and was its first Prime Minister, was renowned for his historical works, especially “Capitalism and Slavery”. The annual lectures are delivered by distinguished speakers from various fields, including politics, academia, business, and the arts. The topics are usually related to issues of national and international significance, with a focus on economics, finance, and development.
The Rudranath Capildeo Lecture Series
The Rudranath Capildeo Lecture Series, launched in 2014 as part of the Bank’s 50th anniversary celebrations, was held biennially in honour of Dr. Rudranath Capildeo (1920–1910), a prominent politician and advocate for social justice. Dr. Capildeo was a brilliant mathematician, and physicist. His PhD thesis on “The Flexure Problem in Elasticity” and his study on the “Theory of Rotation and Gravity” (named Capildeo’s Theory), were applied to outer-space expeditions in the 1960s and 1970s.
In the Community
Plaza Riddims
Plaza Riddims is the Bank’s longstanding Carnival concert, which has evolved over the years and now takes place annually on Carnival Friday at the Eric Williams Plaza and is free for members of the public. It provides a platform for both new and veteran artistes to showcase their material.
Auditorium Outreach
Calypso History Month is another mainstay on the Banks’ community engagement schedule. Until recently, observations were marked by the TUCO Mini Concert Series, which highlighted the richness of our culture as captured in the mastery of the calypso art form. The Mini Concert series remains on the Bank’s YouTube for all to enjoy. Observations now take the form of Calypso Stories, an outreach activity of the Central Bank Auditorium.
Museum Outreach
The Central Bank Museum has a yearly programme of activities that sees its staff develop outreach programmes that offer new and unique experiences to our visitors. The Museum also participates in already existing national outreach initiatives and festivals including the Divali Nagar and Emancipation Village, among others.
For more information on any of these initiatives or to get involved, please contact us.