With its primary mandate being that of ensuring the professional development of the financial services sector and training for the business industry, the Jamaica Institute of Financial Services (JIFS), an entity which has been around for over 40 years, continues to make significant strides in getting professionals certified.

The name JIFS is one that may not be so popular to many Jamaicans, but in recent times they are fast gaining traction and being noticed, especially in financial circles. They are the entity which currently offers the FX global code certification programme — one that is offered in collaboration with the global association, ACI financial markets. On the heels of its first batch of certified professionals through the programme, they are seeking to up the ante in making financial compliance and ethics the order of the day within the Jamaican market.

The entity formerly known as the Jamaica Institute of Bankers got its current name change back in 2010 and is now leading the charge for certification and training in the country.

At a recent sitting of the Jamaica Observer’s Monday Exchange at its Beechwood Avenue address, Darlene Jones, executive director at JIFS noted that the levels of certification and training undertaken by the institute is to impart a working knowledge on the principles and operations governing.

“We do annual training to ensure that the sector is fully compliant, we provide relevant training for the financial sector, which is not limited to financial only but includes others outside of the sector. We have an annual anti-money laundering conference, so other areas that falls under this such as gaming, real estate, and even attorneys stand to benefit from the trainings and services provided”, she said.

She further stressed that the Global code certification that is now being offered is widely recognised and based on international standards. “It gives training based on the various principles that falls under the code such as ethics, governance, execution, and settlement”, she further added. The aim is not just to have persons sign the code, it’s also to have these persons understand and be fully educated on the principles attached.

Gladstone Wynter, trader at Jamaica National Bank and a successful participant in the first batch of persons to sit the global FX certification exam added that the programme was very useful in terms of the knowledge and skills garnered.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-observer/jifs-paving-way-for-professional-development-of-financial-sector-in-jamaica_171688