St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says the search is on for a replacement for Sir Dwight Venner, the longest serving Governor of the Eastern Caribbean central Bank (ECCB).

Sir Dwight, who was born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines,  has been in the post since 1989.

“We had a search committee under Sir Errol Allen, former deputy governor of the Central Bank, a very high level one which included very distinguished persons from the OECS and also too, the former governor of the Central Bank in Trinidad and Tobago.

“They have done the work and they have submitted the report to us and we have been discussing it and very shortly a final decision will be made,’ said Gonsalves, speaking on WINNFF radio here.

Former president of the Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Nigel John, said that while the ECCB has achieved much under the stewardship of the outgoing Governor more could have been done. “Well in some ways and you can’t deny the…currency stability and various things that we have enjoyed in the region for quite some time,” he said, adding that his ideal candidate should be “someone who has a direction or understands the best direction for our region”.

“I think the most ideal candidate would be someone who can give guidance to our financial sector in this region vis-a-vis making ourselves, preparing ourselves for the future,” he added.

The ECCB serves as a Central Bank for Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla and the British Virgin islands.