Parent company CIBC and FirstCaribbean International Bank have donated J$7 million to the Haiti earthquake relief fund.

According to Managing Director of the FirstCaribbean International Bank (Jamaica) Limited, provided just over $500,000 of this amount raised via a Haiti Relief Telethon along with a donation from the Bank’s charitable foundation.

Mr. Metcalfe was speaking at a church service led by Moravian Priest, Rev. Frank Barker at the University of the West Indies (Mona) Chapel on Sunday, February 28, 2010, which was dedicated by the Bank to “Pray for Haiti”.

Noting that the Bank annually dedicates 1% of the prior year’s profit to community causes and projects, Mr. Metcalfe said “thankfully we were able to invest some of the resources towards the relief efforts in Haiti”. Mr. Metcalfe thanked Lieutenant Jonathan Wemyss-Gorman, the Bank’s Head of Security & Loss Management and a Jamaica Defence Force Reserve who was given leave by the Bank to serve with other volunteers in Haiti, immediately after the earthquake.

Mr. Metcalfe said that Lieutenant Wemyss-Gorman a French speaker, helped to maintain order, distribute supplies and provide support to Haitians in need and we are extremely grateful for his ministrations on all our behalf.”

Sunday’s gift, Mr. Metcalfe said, was “more of a spiritual nature” but just as critical as goods and supplies and material gifts. “We are certain that our Christian faith will see them through this difficult time and give us the strength to provide the spiritual and emotional support they so urgently need”, Mr. Metcalfe sai