The Securities Commission of The Bahamas is holding activities this week in celebration of World Investor Week (WIW) 2017, which runs 2-8 October.

WIW is an initiative of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), the leading international forum for securities. The WIW campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of investor education and protection and highlight the various initiatives of securities regulators in these critical areas.

The commission has a slate of activities lined up to further its efforts to inform and educate investors in The Bahamas and participate in the global WIW effort.

Key among them is the launch of a pilot study in partnership with the Ministry of Education, aimed to teach fundamental financial concepts and improve financial literacy measurements in the country, starting with primary and junior-high school levels. The pilot study will test the progress of students in the special training programme.

The commission is also launching a special video competition for young film and investment enthusiasts. Under the Theme “Invest In You: Earn, Save, Invest!”, Bahamians aged 15 to 25 can compete in the short video competition to win an iPad Pro and help promote responsible financial behaviour among their peers.

The competition is a part of a regional initiative of the International Forum for Investor Education (IFIE<-- -->) Americas Chapter Working Group, which is comprised of regulator members from 16 jurisdictions in the Caribbean. The specific rules of the competition vary across jurisdictions, however all the winning entries from the Caribbean will be showcased on the IFIE website.

The commission will also be launching its social media presence with the official launch of its Facebook page during the week. The commission will be using this medium to introduce a series of short videos addressing aspects of investor education and protection across the week.

The commission will also be enhancing access to investor education information and resources available on its website www.scb.gov.bs during the celebration week.

Representatives of the commission will be at the Mall at Marathon 8 October to share material to help individuals protect themselves from investment fraud and scams.