Since 2001, the Bahamas Financial Services Board, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance have joined forces to sponsor Essay and Speech Competitions, as part of a comprehensive School Outreach Programme, which itself is a component of a broader “domestic outreach” programme that seeks to integrate the industry with the wider community. The event has had wide-ranging support and, in fact, has been cosponsored by the financial services-related Professional Industry Associations as well as the Rotary Club of East Nassau, and Rotary Sunrise. Corporate Sponsor from inception of the programme has been Bahamas Business Solutions Limited.
In the past, the competitions have been scheduled as part of the annual two-day Careers Fest, which promotes careers in the financial services industry, targeting senior level grades in the public and private secondary schools. This year, they have been scheduled as stand-alone events.