It is with great sadness that it has been announced ‘ The Honourable Sir Kenneth Dwight Vincent Venner’ passed away on 22nd December 2016.
Sir Dwight was a truly admired Caribbean man, a Vincentian who served the whole of region admirably for all his working life. Even beyond that in his private life he never stopped his devotion to public service.
Vincentian born Sir Dwight served as Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank for 26 years, died late Thursday night in Saint Lucia. He died just over a year after announcing his retirement in late November 2015 after 26 years of service in his position as governor of the Central Bank. He is the longest-serving governor of any central bank, monetary authority, or federal reserve, having served since 1989
Born in Kingstown, St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
Economist by training and was educated at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica where he obtained both a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and a Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Economics.
1967, Dwight Venner and Ralph Gonsalves were fellow students.
1969, Mid to late: In Saint Vincent a left wing interest, Ralph E Gonsalves and Dwight Venner met with the leadership of the DFM (EFP) which included PR Campbell, Kenneth John, Eddie Griffith, John Cato, Kerwin Morris, and Arnhim Eustace.
1971, Jamaica: Ralph Gonsalves, along with Dwight Venner and others, organized a Windward Islands expo at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.
Dwight like most students through the ages in the Caribbean shook hands with left wing politics. Fortunately he shook off that extremism that a number of other students went on to embrace for a lifetime, such as Ralph Gonsalves who soaked himself in a form of socialism that most describe as communism.
1974 – 1981: Served as a Junior Research Fellow at the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of the West Indies and then as a Lecturer in Economics.
1981, November – 1989 November, Saint Lucia: Director of Finance and Planning.
1989, December: Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.
1996, Saint Lucia: Received the award of Commander of the British Empire (CBE).
1996: Publication, Monetary Policy and a Stable EC Dollar.
1996: Publication, Surmounting the Barriers to Development.
1996: Publication, The Prospects for a Unified Caribbean in the New International Economic Order.
1996: Lectures, Economic Theory and Development Options For The Caribbean.
1996: Publication Monetary Policy and a Stable EC Dollar.
1996: Publication, Surmounting the Barriers to Development.
1996: Publication, The Prospects for a Unified Caribbean in the New International Economic Order.
1997: Publication, Prospects and Policy Options for the ECCB Area.
1997: Publication, Economic Theory and Development Options For The Caribbean.
1998, July: Recognised as a Distinguished Graduate of the University of the West Indies on its 50th Anniversary on this date.
2001, June: Awarded Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) in St Vincent and the Grenadines for services to the financial sector.
2003, October: The Hon Sir Dwight [KBE] recipient of honorary degree, the Doctor of Laws from the University of the West Indies.
2005, 2007: Lectures, Economic Theory and Development Options For The Caribbean.
2007: The Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lectures.
2007: Publication, The Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lectures 1996-2005, 2007.
2011, December: Awarded the Saint Lucia Cross for distinguished and outstanding service of national importance to Saint Lucia.
2012: In 2012 he received the Saint Lucia Cross for outstanding contribution in economics and finance.
2015: In late 2015 Venner announced his retirement after 26 years of service in his position as Governor. He stepped down at the end of November 2015. Venner is the longest-serving governor of any central bank, monetary authority, or federal reserve, having served faithfully since 1989.[citation needed] As of January 8, 2015, the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance in Grenada, Timothy Antoine, has been appointed as the new head of the ECCB.
He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network, and a member of the Commission for Growth and Development, World Bank. Also Chairman of the OECS Economic Union Task Force Committee, and the UWI Open Campus Council.
His hobbies included cricket, racquet ball, netball, pistol shooting, hiking, jogging, music, reading, collecting paintings, crystals, miniature boats and coins, travel and photography.
The Hon Sir Dwight married to Lynda Arnolde Winville Venner nee St Rose and have seven children.
