Belize Bank

Belize Bank is the largest banking operation in Belize. It provides a comprehensive range of banking and financial services to both retail and commercial customers, including online banking and electronic bill paying services. Belize Bank's unmatched convenience and expertise, high quality service, innovation and a continually evolving suite of financial products help to maintain it as the leading financial services provider in Belize.

The Belize banking industry is comprised of five domestic banks and seven international banks. Belize Bank has a head office in Belize City, eleven branches and a network of 21 ATMs located in every major town and city throughout the country. This network provides the most comprehensive distribution channel of all the banks in Belize. Belize Bank has an approximate 42.0 percent share of loans and a 37.0 percent share of deposits, substantially ahead of its nearest competitor. Belize Bank's loan portfolio at March 31, 2009 amounted to $357.6 million.

Belize Bank's sophisticated front and back office systems provide a solid platform for the development and operation of the bank. Belize Bank has a well developed information technology infrastructure that provides superior processing capacity, delivery channels and customer service. These systems facilitate the rapid introduction of new products. The systems have been designed to be extremely resilient to external communication interruptions which we believe to be essential in hurricane risk areas. The investment in systems is on-going and the bank recently completed the development of a country-wide satellite communication network for disaster preparedness and business continuity purposes. It is one of its kind in Belize.

Belize Bank provides credit facilities to both commercial and retail customers. Credit controls ensure that the loan portfolio growth is balanced with sound loan quality. Approximately half of Belize Bank's loan portfolio consists of corporate loans supporting the tourism, agriculture, mariculture and distribution industries. The balance of the portfolio is extended to residential mortgages and consumer loans.

Belize Bank current and savings accounts provide customers easy access to their funds with debit cards. Belize Bank savings accounts currently yield up to 6 percent interest and term deposits are available at very competitive interest rates.

Belize Bank's VISA Gold Card and MasterCard credit cards allow customers to make purchases and access funds Worldwide. The VISA Gold Card also offers free travel accident insurance, free auto rental insurance and an array of emergency travel assistance services. The Belize Bank Visa Debit Card, originally launched in 2006 has been a great success. Cardholders are able to access funds in their deposit accounts by using the card to pay for goods and services at over one thousand business establishments across Belize.

Belize Bank Merchant Accounts provide Belizean based businesses with VISA, MasterCard and American Express (exclusive acquirer in Belize) electronic processing capability. We are proud to announce the recent launch of Discover Card acquiring. The Merchant Accounts feature competitive discount rates, next day credits, convenient reconciliation through our online banking service and an effective support system. In direct response to the needs of its commercial customers, Belize Bank also offers Internet Merchant Accounts ("IMAs"), using PayPal's PayFlow Pro Internet payment gateway to enable the processing of credit card transactions via the internet.

We have deployed over one thousand point of sale terminals and have a market share of merchant acquiring in Belize of over 60 percent.

With Belize Bank Online, customers can view and download to accounting programs or spreadsheets their account transactions, transfer funds, and pay their bills online. In addition, Commercial Online Banking customers can reconcile their credit card transactions and process their payrolls by making direct payments to their employees. Belize Bank's 24-hour Secure Online Messaging System allows customers to correspond with Belize Bank personnel through a secure channel. The services of Belize Bank Online are also available to customers of British Caribbean Bank International.

Belize is situated on the Caribbean coast of Central America bordered by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and by the Caribbean Sea to the east. Geographically Belize comprises mainland Belize, which covers an area of approximately 14,000 square miles, and hundreds of small islands and cays that stretch approximately 25 miles into the Caribbean Sea. Belize's barrier reef extends down the entire 240 mile coastline of Belize. Mayan history, the diversity of the mainland terrain and the vast array of offshore cays and islands provide Belize with a solid foundation for continuing development of the tourist industry. Belize is under two hours from Miami and is served directly by five international airlines from various southern US cities. It is a peaceful, English speaking, stable democracy with a political system based on the British Westminster model with Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. Belize's legal system is based on English Common Law with the Privy Council serving as the final court of appeal. Its currency, the Belize dollar, has been pegged to the US dollar at a fixed exchange rate of 2 to 1 for over 25 years.