De La Rue has been offering academic scholarships in the Caribbean since 2002. There are now 38 De La Rue scholars from across the region, all members of the newly formed Association of De La Rue Scholars (ADLRS) that was launched in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago in early January.
The De La Rue Scholarship programme was started in 2002 in Jamaica as a collaboration between De La Rue, the Central Bank and the University of the West Indies (UWI). Since then, using the same model, the programme was expanded to Trinidad and Tobago in 2003, to the Eastern Caribbean in 2006 and to Barbados in 2013. Initially scholarships were for Economics and Finance but in 2014 this was extended to include Actuarial Sciences.
De La Rue has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Caribbean. Our first banknote orders in the region were in the early 1900s with the very first in 1905 from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. We have partnered with almost every Government, issuing authority and central bank in the region at some point in our history producing banknotes, secure documents (passports, ID cards, driving licenses, electoral systems) and associated issuing systems as well as cash sorting equipment.
We have built up strong relationships across the region over the years but our relationships go beyond the purely commercial and we have provided training, disaster relief and education initiatives to our partner organisations, including the scholarship programme. Many of our scholars have gone on to achieve either academic or central bank distinction, achieving high status in their chosen fields and they can be found around the world, from the Caribbean to the UK, from Japan to the USA.
The launch of the Association was marked by an inaugural dinner which was attended by a total of 27 scholars plus local academics, central bank representatives and diplomats. The principal objective of the Association is to promote the personal and academic fulfilment of each scholar and to help build future leaders—young men and women with a commitment to serving their community, their country and their region.
Commenting on the launch, CEO of De La Rue Martin Sutherland said “We are delighted to have inaugurated this Association. Our scholars have bright futures ahead of them and we are proud to have contributed to their achievements.”
For further information:
Clare Lloyd Williams
Marketing Communications Manager, De La Rue
Tel: +44 (0) 1256 605000
Email: clare.lloyd.williams@uk.delarue.com
