Chief Executive, Capital Markets Authority; Mr. Andrew Wachira, Acting Chief Executive, Nairobi Securities Exchange; Chief Executives of the Central Depository Agents; Chief Executive, Kenya Bankers Association; CEOs of Commercial Banks here present; Chief Executive, Kenya Association of Stockbrokers & Investment Banks; Distinguished Participants; Ladies and Gentlemen: I am pleased to join you today on this auspicious occasion to launch the Settlement System for Equities and Corporate Bonds through the Real Time Gross Settlement platform of the Central Bank of Kenya, commonly referred to as KEPSS.
  Second, despite this strength in the mining sector, overall economic growth is turning out to be weaker. The forecasts published earlier this month reduced growth in GDP for 2011 to 3¼ per cent, versus 3¾ per cent expected last November.