We are therefore doing all in our power to compliment the efforts of the Government and other well meaning partners to help foster economic and social development. To this end, our corporate social responsibility is focused on providing a stimulus that will help promote excellence in every aspect of our development, but more so in EDUCATION. By supporting the education sector, our aim is to achieve the following: •  contribute towards the development of the human resource base required to drive economic activities in the country. In this regard, our objective is to open doors leading to abounding opportunities for future generations in our own small way. We hope that by providing for those who have the ability to achieve academic excellence but cannot do so for lack of financial support, we can help restore the academic prowess for which Sierra Leone was known in the continent. We would therefore assure everyone, not only those in secondary schools, but also institutions and individuals who have the talent and the commitment to demonstrate outstanding performance, that you will get our attention and support, if you are deserving. Mr Chairman, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is only recently that the Bank of Sierra Leone has taken up the responsibility of helping in the pursuit of excellence especially in education, as a vehicle of development in Sierra Leone.
This is largely due to the scarcity of the instruments in the market. In Malaysia, the growing ringgit sukuk market has resulted in an active secondary market. This is largely due to the regular and varied issuances throughout the year. This is supported by the investment in research and development and in talent development to ensure the availability of expertise in the structuring of sukuk instruments and in sukuk documentation. Having the potential to innovate new instruments will depend on having the necessary talent. This is an area of focus in Malaysia to develop the skills, expertise and capability. The Islamic financial system in Malaysia now offers a wide range of financial products and services that are competitive and able to meet the changing requirements of the domestic and global economy. Way forward for the global Islamic financial system As we advance forward, we need to recognise the forces of change and the transformation taking place in the international financial system and global economy. Relentless efforts have been initiated to reform the international financial system by the international community to address the weaknesses that have contributed to the recent crisis. In this environment, Islamic finance needs to continue to evolve to remain effective and competitive. The Islamic financial system does not exist in isolation and will continue to develop as an integral part of the global financial system.