Scotia Celebrates 60 years with Sir Garry

Two days shy of the official anniversary of the opening of its first branch in Barbados, Scotiabank held a 60th Anniversary celebration event and customer appreciation day with Barbados’ only living National Hero as one of the special guests at its Haggatt Hall branch yesterday.

 

The event was planned to honour and show appreciation to long standing customers who had made the Haggatt Hall Branch their home. Sir Garry was one of those long standing customers having been a part of the Scotiabank family for over 40 years. Sobers has not only been a customer of the bank but has partnered with them on many occasions. Some of these occasions included the hosting of the Scotiabank Kiddies Cricket which has been a more than worthwhile venture over the years as it has raised the level of cricket from Barbados’ youngest ages. Scotiabank has supported the recently concluded Sir Garfield Cricket competition in which schools from all over the world compete for the honour of being called the champions of the competition hosted by the greatest cricketer that ever lived.

 

Sobers who spoke before the presentations began said that he was very happy to be in attendance and was elated when he received the invitation to attend the 60th anniversary celebrations. Branch Manager Brian Clarke then thanked Sir Garry and also Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. DeLisle Worrell and his wife Monica Drayton-Worrell, who were also in attendance for taking the time out of their busy schedules to spend time with Scotiabank.

 

Natasha Wood, Assistant Manager of Personal Banking for the Branch then introduced each long-standing customer who were presented with tokens of appreciation from Scotiabank. First to receive her token was Cynthia Vaughn who was one of the first customers of the Haggatt Hall branch 20 years ago. Vaughn, who just came to receive a small token of appreciation was spellbound when Wood explained that her prize was a little more than a small token. Full of smiles, the shocked Vaughn was at a loss for words when she was presented with a signed Sir Garfield Sobers commemorative bat which was signed live in her presence by Sir Garry himself. Vaughn in between breathes quipped that she was happy she had decided to come and that her family and friends who loved cricket would be ecstatic to know that she had received such a gift.

 

The bats are usually sold at the Sandy Lane Golf Club and through Scotiabank, Vaughn said she felt privileged not only to have received the bat but also to have been able to meet Sir Garry. Other long standing customers who were presented with tokens were Samuel Knight, Judith Phillips, Samuel Gittens, Ian Holligan and Monica Ward.

 

The Haggatt Hall Branch were thorough in their celebrations and not only present tokens to customers but they also invited former managers of the branch who had all been part of its history throughout the years.