Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

President of the Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS), William Clarke (right), is extremely tickled by what Justice Seymour Panton (centre) and Wayne Powell (partly hidden) have said. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

THERE IS no time like Christmas to make those around you feel 'hearty'.

So, perhaps it was with that thought in mind that president and CEO of Bank of Nova Scotia Jamaica, William Clarke, hosted 'The President's Party' last Friday.

The soiree by the pool on the grounds of the bank's training centre in Acadia was for friends, partners and stakeholders. This was BNS's way of reassuring them - as if they needed to - that their business and support were still very much appreciated.

Clarke stated that Scotia's very existence and survival was dependent on them. With investment plans and other savings method in the backs of everyone's minds, Clarke pledged that his company would still be afloat even after other institutions had sunk, joking that if there wasn't enough room room for all them, the Scotia ship would be making several trips.

The menu was totally Jamaican, with roast fish and festival among the favourites. And, of course, the heaven-a-top, hell-a-bottom pudding! Seretse Small and Friends strummed, tapped and grooved their way through their repertoire, only interrupted by the president's speech and a few cuts in power.

Guests included Greg Christie and wife Jan, Michael Hylton, Denise Treasure, Christopher Chin-Loy, Dahlia Harris, Prof. Errol Morrison and Liz Levy.

Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewelyn makes a point to Courtney Sylvester.

Joylene Griffiths-Irving (left) of BNS chats with Lana Forbes and Audley Deidrick of Airports Authority.

All smiles at the Bank of Nova Scotia Christmas party are (from left) Tamika Sadler, product manager, retail lending; Michelle Lee Rutland and Janet Sutherland, branch manager of Scotiabank, Oxford Road.