The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

YOUNG Bahamians from New Providence, Andros and Grand Bahama are being introduced to investment techniques so they can get a better understanding of the value and management of money by leading sector company, Colina Financial Advisors Ltd (CFAL).

The CFAL Junior Investor programme, created in 2002, is the brainchild of CFAL president, Anthony Ferguson, who saw the need to bridge the gap between the Bahamian financial markets and the country’s youth. The Junior Investor programme is a competition for high school students who are allowed to invest and manage a “nominal” $100,000 in Bahamian securities on behalf of a fictional client. Programme co-ordinator Richard Pinder said that the programme sets out to educate and better prepare young persons around the Bahamas for life in a fast growing financial sector. “We realised that our young people were leaving high school with limited financial knowledge,” he said. “We saw the need as a company in the financial sector to do more to improve this. We want to teach them the value of money and how to use it to work for what they need.”

The programme was designed to aid the traditional curriculum of the participating high schools by connecting financial professionals, resources and students to achieve set goals.

Mr Pinder told the students at the Colina Insurance offices on Collins Avenue yesterday that it was important they understand that investment and financial growth only takes a dollar to start with. The programme’s motto, “Improving investor education by educating Bahamian students about financial markets and products” is what Mr Pinder said keeps the programme in perspective.

“CFAL and our president wanted to equip our country’s future with the tools for better financial success across the board. We teach these students essential techniques necessary for every person to be financially successful,” added Mr Pinder.

Participating schools from New Providence include Nassau Christian Academy, St Augustine’s College, St John’s College, St Andrew’s High School, Kingsway Academy, Aquinas College, Charles W Saunders, R M Bailey High School, Doris Johnson High School and C V Bethel High School while from Grand Bahama are St Paul’s Methodist College, Tabernacle Baptist Academy, St George’s High School, Jack Hayward High School and Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Academy.

Mr Pinder said that the programme has expanded this year to include Central Andros High School and North Andros High School. The CFAL Junior Investor programme will run from October 2014 to April 2015, when the winning schools will be recognised and rewarded. Past winners include St Augustine’s College, Bahamas Academy, Jordan Prince Williams High School and St Georges High School.