Bridgetown, Barbados, 4 March 2021 –Scores of young artists across the region let loose their creative talents over the past few months with amazing results!

Close to 30 school-aged artists from nine territories showed off their abilities with paintbrush, pencil and mixed media in the CIBC FirstCaribbean Children’s Art Competition which ran from December 15 last year to January 15 this year.

“We were bowled over by the sheer talent and creativity of our young people from all across the region. The entries were all of a very high standard which speaks volumes about the quality of art education and appreciation in the region,” said the bank’s Chief Executive Officer Colette Delaney.

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She offered hearty congratulations to all of the winners and participants in their respective categories. “Living and learning over the past year has been particularly challenging for many of our region’s youth as they too have been forced to adapt as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. We were very pleased that so many took the time to enter our competition cognisant of the immense therapeutic value in engaging in art and artistic expression,” Ms. Delaney said.

The Caribbean Children’s Art competition was open to primary and secondary school students resident in territories across its 16-member corporate footprint. Students were able to use traditional watercolours or mixed media to render their interpretation of selected topics – “Save Your Money – Why Do We Need to Save” for primary school students and “The Bank of the Future”, for secondary school students.

The primary school entrants were divided into two categories – 4 -7 and 8 – 11 while those from the secondary schools were divided into 11 – 14 and 15 – 18 categories. Primary school students used watercolour, crayon or paint for their entries while secondary students had a choice of digital, mixed media, paint – water colour or acrylic.

The winners by country in their respective categories are: Bahamas, David Ramtulla (15 – 18); Barbados, Genesis Parris (11 – 14) and Nharad Banfield-Scott (8 – 11); Curacao, Immanuel Montoya Fullinck, (8 – 11), Marcello Montoya Fullinck, (4 – 7) and Mayah El Ayoubi (8 -11); Dominica, Tana Valmond (15 – 18); Grenada, Mikaela Mc Kie (8 -11); Jamaica, K’yana Edwards (15 -18); St. Lucia, Prashanti Pravin Rathod (11 – 14); Turks and Caicos Islands, Aaron Rodney (4 -7) and Ahmara Rigby (8 – 11); Trinidad and Tobago, Ayari Welcome (15 -18), El’Anaya Destiny Henry (8 – 11) and Luke Fridie (4 – 7).

The winners and runners up will receive Amazon Gift cards in varying amounts and art supplies.

About CIBC FirstCaribbean

CIBC FirstCaribbean is a relationship bank offering a full range of market leading financial services through our Corporate and Investment Banking, Retail and Business Banking and Wealth Management segments. We are located in sixteen (16) countries around the Caribbean, providing the banking services through approximately 2,900 employees in 64 branches and offices. We are one of the largest regionally listed financial services institutions in the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean, with US$12 billion in assets and market capitalization of US$3 billion. We also have a representative office in Hong Kong providing business development, relationship management and fund administration. The face of banking is changing throughout the world and CIBC FirstCaribbean intends to lead

these changes with the expertise, integrity and knowledge gained from banking in the Caribbean since 1836.

CIBC FirstCaribbean is a member of the CIBC Group. CIBC is a leading Canadian-based global financial institution with 11 million personal banking and business clients. Through our three major business units – Retail and Business Banking, Wealth Management and Capital Markets – CIBC offers a full range of products and services through its comprehensive electronic banking network, branches and offices across Canada with offices in the United States and around the world.

For more information about CIBC FirstCaribbean, visit www.cibcfcib.com , Facebook, Twitter , LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube.