The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) congratulates The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Bahamas Board and Conference Planning Committee on a very successful inaugural conference under the themes "Succession Through Innovation". The Conference brought together the world's leading trust and estate practitioners in Nassau, Bahamas, to discuss ideas and innovations in the planning, structuring and management of wealth. BFSB was pleased to serve as a sponsor of the STEP Bahamas Conference.
STEP is a unique professional body providing members with a local, national and international learning and business network focusing on the responsible stewardship of assets today and across the generations. It provides education, training, representation and networking for its members. The conference was opened by Mr. Theo Burrows, STEP Bahamas Conference Branch Chair and Assistant General Counsel in International Trust Services at JP Morgan Trust Company Limited (Bahamas). Sen. Hon. Michael Halkitis, Minister of Economic Affairs then gave the opening address.
Wide Range of Topics Covered
The following trending topics relevant to trust and fiduciary services were discussed:
- Building Resiliency in a Disruptive World
- When Things Go Wrong – Problem Solving for Trustees
- Small Island Nations – Surviving the Constant Changing Requirements of International Bodies (EU/OECD/FATF)
- Exercising Trustee Powers
- Single Family Office – The Next Generation
- To Know Better is to Do Better – An Overview of the Bahamian Regulatory Environment
- LWP – Live, Work & Play – Enjoy the multi-benefits of The Bahamas as a Financial Centre
STEP/EDLS Moot Competition
The event concluded with the STEP/EDLS Moot Competition that stimulated a courtroom hearing and presented a Moot Question on an issue in trusts and estate planning. The plaintiffs and defendants were to provide written and oral responses to these issues by presenting opening submissions, substantive submissions, and rebuttal/closing submissions. The participants were students of Eugene Dupuch Law School.
The representatives of the plaintiff were Ms. Diana Ferreira, Mr. Sanjay Kelly, and Ms. Tinarje Moxey from Higgs & Johnson, and the representatives of the defendants were Ms. Ava La-Roda, Mr. Calnan Kelly, and Ms. Dancia Knowles from Callenders & Co. The representatives of the judges' panel were Sir Michael Barnett, Kt., President of the Court of Appeal, The Bahamas, Hon. Justice Loren Klein, Justice of the Supreme Court, The Bahamas, and Hon. Justice Rubie Nottage, Justice of the Supreme Court, The Bahamas. The STEP/EDLS Moot Competition's winners were the Callenders & Co. team representing the defendants.