Originally called Colonial Bank, we were born in 1837 as the first commercial bank in Trinidad and Tobago. Our 181-year history is testimony to a successful growth strategy fuelled by expansion through acquisition, prudent risk management principles, comprehensive and innovative corporate social investment programmes and initiatives, and visionary leadership paired with multitalented and loyal employees. Through the years, we continuously evolved to match the demands of growing economies and the rapid social changes in the markets where we currently operate. Significant expansion during this period, through the acquisition of several subsidiaries, resulted in Republic Bank performing dual roles of a licensed commercial bank and a holding company for its subsidiaries. While the roles were well managed, the Group needed a more sustainable structure to facilitate even more effective management and good governance given our current and future strategies.

Originally called Colonial Bank, we were born in 1837 as the first commercial bank in Trinidad and Tobago. Our 181-year history is testimony to a successful growth strategy fuelled by expansion through acquisition, prudent risk management principles, comprehensive and innovative corporate social investment programmes and initiatives, and visionary leadership paired with multitalented and loyal employees. Through the years, we continuously evolved to match the demands of growing economies and the rapid social changes in the markets where we currently operate. Significant expansion during this period, through the acquisition of several subsidiaries, resulted in Republic Bank performing dual roles of a licensed commercial bank and a holding company for its subsidiaries. While the roles were well managed, the Group needed a more sustainable structure to facilitate even more effective management and good governance given our current and future strategies. In December 2015, a decision was taken to form Republic Financial Holdings Limited by a Vesting Order, under the Financial Institutions Act, Chap 79:09, of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago; successfully bringing the structure of the Republic Group in line with international best practices to facilitate future growth. Who we are today Headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago, Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) is the registered owner of all the banks in the Republic Group – Republic Bank Limited, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited, Republic Bank (Grenada) Limited, Republic Bank (Suriname) N.V., Cayman National Corporation, Republic Bank (EC) Limited, Republic Bank (Anguilla) Limited, Republic Bank (St. Maarten) N.V. and Republic Bank (Ghana) Limited, as well as Republic Securities Limited and other subsidiaries. Across these markets, RFHL offers an extensive range of banking services, including credit and debit card issuance and processing, leasing, trustee services, mutual fund and investment management, and merchant banking. As at September 30, 2019, the Group’s asset base stood at US$13.09 billion, and declared a net profit after tax and non-controlling interest of US$237 million. The Group currently employs more than 6,166 staff in 20 subsidiaries operating in 13 countries. While the Group continues its journey of financial growth and development, and teamwork with the community to bring about positive change, it is pledged to continually raise the standards of banking locally, regionally, and internationally.

For decades, Republic Bank has held a resolute focus on its Vision of being a bank that is chosen as the Caribbean Financial Institution of Choice for its Staff, Customers and Shareholders. It aims to do so by setting the Standard of Excellence in Customer Satisfaction; Employee Engagement; Social Responsibility and Shareholder Value – while building successful societies. Over 17 decades old, the organisation is a visionary one, with a history of continual financial growth, professional and personal development, and successful collaboration with communities to bring about positive change. Since it first opened its doors in 1937 as the Colonial Bank, the first commercial bank in Trinidad; to its 1925 amalgamation with the National Bank of South Africa Limited and the Anglo-Egyptian Bank to become Dominion, Colonial and Overseas (D.C.O.); until its eventual renaming to Barclays Bank of Trinidad and Tobago and then to what is today, Republic Bank Limited, the Bank has successfully weathered many changes to remain one of the largest and most successful indigenous financial institutions in the Caribbean. It offers a diverse portfolio of products and services designed to satisfy the growing needs of its retail banking customers, corporate clients and governments throughout the Region. The Bank continuously subscribes to its Core Values of Customer Focus; Integrity; Respect for The Individual and Results Orientation. Holding integrity at the core of all its relationships, the Bank generates trust and confidence from its customers, suppliers, shareholders and the general public. Republic Bank also consistently demonstrates honesty, fairness and openness in all operations, and its business processes and practices support service excellence while protecting the interest of its customers, employees and shareholders. Expansion Philosophy The Republic Bank Group subscribes to a philosophy of expansion through organic growth and acquisition. It consistently creates significant value to strategic investment partners, driven by a philosophy of maintaining strong local participation in all overseas investments. Though Caribbean based, the Bank is a global player that adds value to the markets it enters through a developmental approach that ensures strong local input, strong local knowledge and strong local influence in decision making. Its success is driven by human resource development, a local focus to its service approach and the emphasis placed on corporate social responsibility. Its current expansion interests are within the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa.

River Salle Credit Union was registered on July 19, 1962. It began with seventeen dedicated members who started a cooperative which involved in Butter making. Mr. Mignon Thomas was the first president who was followed by Mr. Henry Aberdeen, other officers were Mr. Simon Charles as Secretary/ Treasurer and Mr. Augustine Peters as Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer. Some of the other original members such Mr. Vaughn Mitchell, Mr. Hartley Buddy and Mr. Damian Joseph were also a part of the beginning Cooperative which included many more and of these who are active members to this date. The Credit Unions’ first primary office was located at the Benefit Society Hall at the River Sallee Junction, St. Patricks and has now moved to a more central location in the St. Patricks’ Parish. To this date the RiverSallee Cooperative Credit Union is very proud to have grown to almost three thousand active members with assets in excess of 12 Million EC Dollars.

RBC’s history in the Caribbean goes back a long way. In fact, the Bank established branches in the Caribbean before some of Canada's western provinces. RBC’s roots began when a group of merchants from Halifax, Nova Scotia who were engaged in the thriving sea-going trade between Halifax and the West Indies formed the Merchant's Bank in 1864. In those days Canadian southbound ships carried mainly flour, codfish and timber, returning north with their cargoes of sugar, rum, cotton and spices. Through branches established in all major trade centres in the Caribbean, RBC offered valuable facilities for promoting trade. Early days The Bank's first venture south was Bermuda in 1882 followed by Cuba in 1899. By 1914, the Bank's international network included Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Trinidad, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Barbados, British Honduras (now Belize) and Grenada. In that same year, RBC purchased the British Guiana Bank that had opened in 1836. By 1984 the Bank had opened a total of 15 branches in Guyana (formerly British Guiana) but in November 1984 RBC ceased to operate there. The Bio-diversity Centre in Georgetown, created to study Guyana's largely intact rain forest, was built with funds from RBC's operations in Guyana, since foreign exchange restrictions made it impossible to take them out of the country. Expanding through the Caribbean In 1915, branches were established in three Eastern Caribbean islands - Dominica, Antigua and St. Kitts. Between 1917 and 1920 the bank opened branches in Nevis, Montserrat, Tobago, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti and St. Lucia. Branches were subsequently opened in St. Vincent in 1959 and Grand Cayman in 1964. By 1996, RBC, or its subsidiaries, had consolidated its operations with 1,190 employees in Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and St. Lucia. In 2002, management of the entire area of eight countries and 14 islands was moved to Nassau, Bahamas from Toronto, Canada, with a regional office in Barbados. In 2008, RBC completed the purchase of RBTT Financial Group and created one of the most extensive banking networks in the Caribbean. Today RBC has a presence in 17 countries and territories across the Caribbean, stretching from the Bahamas in the North to Trinidad and Tobago in the South, serving over one million clients. RBC’s Caribbean headquarters are based in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.