TRELAWNY, Jamaica — In a ceremonial gathering held Wednesday at the iconic Falmouth Cruise Port, C Junior Gager, Mayor of the coastal town of Falmouth, bestowed an honorary key to the municipality upon Michael Lee-Chin, chairman of the National Commercial Bank Financial Group Limited (NCBFG).
This symbolic award is far more than a ceremonial gesture: it formally recognizes Lee-Chin’s decades-long collaborative ties with the Trelawny Municipal Corporation (TMC), his leadership in growing NCB into one of the Caribbean’s leading financial institutions, and his outsized contributions to driving inclusive economic growth across the parish of Trelawny and the entire island nation of Jamaica.
In opening remarks at the event, Mayor Gager emphasized the durable, mutually beneficial partnership that has evolved between the municipal government and NCB over generations. He highlighted the bank’s unwavering support for local community initiatives and consistent delivery of customer-centric financial services that have empowered businesses and households alike. Gager also pointed to the wave of ongoing commercial development transforming Falmouth, most notably the ongoing upgrades to Champion Plaza, as clear evidence of the town’s rising profile as a key economic hub in northern Jamaica.
Notably, the honorary key presented to Lee-Chin was handcrafted by a local Trelawny artisan, a deliberate choice that underscores the event’s focus on celebrating community and local partnership. Gager added that the award also recognizes Lee-Chin’s transformative business leadership, his trailblazing achievements in the Caribbean financial sector, and his far-reaching positive impact on national development across Jamaica.
Wednesday’s visit to Falmouth forms a core part of Lee-Chin’s ongoing cross-country stakeholder engagement initiative, which aligns with his long-stated commitment to advancing equitable national development across Jamaica. During his visit, Lee-Chin led an official tour of Falmouth designed to strengthen working relationships between NCB leadership, local commercial clients, public sector officials, and community-based institutions. The tour also showcased the thriving investment climate and growing economic activity across Trelawny, with a particular focus on operations at the busy Falmouth Pier and the expanding small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) ecosystem that drives much of the parish’s local employment.
The day’s schedule will conclude with the soft opening of NCB’s newly constructed Falmouth branch, located at Champion Plaza on Market Street. The new facility will replace the bank’s existing Falmouth location, bringing expanded services and modern infrastructure to local customers.
Joining Lee-Chin and Gager for the day’s activities and tour were members of the board of directors for both NCB Jamaica and NCB Financial Group, Hugh Gentles, Custos of Trelawny, TMC council members, and a cohort of key NCB commercial clients from across the region.