*  *  *  Distinguished Guests Chief Executive Officers of Primary Dealer Banks Members of the Press Ladies and Gentlemen Good Afternoon It is my pleasure and honor to welcome you to this ceremony, at which we will recognize the best performing Primary Dealer in Uganda Government Securities in 2012.
Introduced in 2003, the main objective of the Primary Dealer System is to promote financial markets development and to reduce the costs associated with issuing government securities, by: 1)  Increasing demand for government securities;  2)  Increasing market efficiency, thereby making government securities easier to buy and sell;  3)  Encouraging secondary market trading of government securities, and;  4)  Improving the quality of market information that is shared amongst the participants and with the Central Bank.