Republic Bank (EC) Limited has announced the commencement of the 2025–2026 cohort of its Power to Make a Difference (PMAD) Programme, marking the Bank’s fourth consecutive year of impactful, purpose-driven social investment across the Eastern Caribbean.
This year, the initiative brings renewed energy and fresh innovation to the region under the theme: Powered by Purpose, Transforming Communities. A Presentation of Partners event was held on December 10 at the Sandals Grande Ballroom and unveiled 14 new and returning partners across six territories in the Eastern Caribbean.
In just five years, Republic Bank has invested more than $6.3 million in community initiatives across its six Eastern Caribbean territories including an investment of close to $2 million in its PMAD Programme in the last three years, with more than $500 000 invested in Saint Lucia alone. During the 2024/2025 cycle, PMAD supported initiatives that empowered youth through education and cultural programmes, advanced environmental preservation and sustainable practices, provided healthcare and assistance to differently-abled persons and fostered entrepreneurship and sports development across the region.
Managing Director for Republic Bank (EC) Limited Group, Tracy Bartholomew, in her feature address reaffirmed the philosophy behind PMAD.
“Our PMAD programme… Republic Bank expresses our deepest values as Caribbean people.. because… that’s what Caribbean people do. That’s what we do. We help each other along. We lift as we climb. We build communities and we build bridges, and we remember mostly what unites us more so than what could ever divide us. That’s what Caribbean people are. That’s our hearts. So this is why sustainability at Republic Bank is more than just the environment. It’s the people it’s also creating the systems that allow individuals to flourish, communities to thrive, and opportunities to multiply, regardless of geography, regardless of background, regardless of circumstance.”
Through PMAD, the bank champions community development by supporting organisations that reflect the Bank’s dedication to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking and the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This cycle brings impactful momentum to Saint Lucia, where innovation, inclusion, and youth development stand strong. Orbtronics, a returning PMAD partner, remains a leader in STEM empowerment, offering advanced robotics and industry-level training that prepares young students for scholarships, university placement, and global tech careers.
The National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities continues its forward-thinking media-based aquaponics programme, equipping persons with disabilities to grow food, earn income, and operate modern agriculture technology independently, fostering dignity and self-sufficiency.
The Daren Sammy Foundation, founded by the legendary Saint Lucian cricket hero, continues to open doors for promising student athletes from low-income households through mentorship, scholarship opportunities, and leadership development, shaping disciplined, confident future citizens. Joining them as the newest partner is St. Mary’s College Secondary School, whose robotics, coding, and ICT programme aims to close the digital divide by giving young boys hands-on access to technology, nurturing the next generation of engineers, programmers, and digital creators prepared for the global economy.
Speaking at the event, Anna-Kaye Boodho, general manager of Orbtronics, the PMAD partner for 2025-2026 for Saint Lucia, spoke to the strength of the relationship between RBEC and the PMAD partners.
“Their [Republic Bank] investment as a partner is not silent and has assisted their own partners in learning, growing, and expanding past the bounds of the initial imagination of those programs, we see a care from them that goes beyond the obligation of corporate social responsibility and has nurtured authentic relationships under the umbrella of a shared passion for positive, lasting change.”
Together, these partnerships reflect RBEC’s unwavering belief in community-led progress and its commitment to creating opportunities for the next generation. Through PMAD, the Bank continues to invest in programmes that strengthen social structures, promote equity, protect the vulnerable, encourage innovation and help Caribbean people thrive. (PR)
