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MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

The Management Information Systems (MIS) Unit defines, implements and manages the information systems required by FINSAC.

It also assumes the final responsibility for ensuring that all information systems in the FINSAC–intervened companies are fully functional and appropriate. In fiscal 1999/2000 the demands on the department were very high, with two major areas being the integration of information technology (IT) systems in the newly formed Union Bank, and the need for Y2K compliance in every FINSAC entity.

FINSAC
As Y2K approached, a well-defined plan was organised to ensure that all the necessary precautions were in place in the event of a problem. Concerted tests on the known trigger dates were completed on all core systems, and precautionary measures were put in place for all eventualities. Fortunately, no Y2K-related problems were experienced, and all system dates moved seamlessly and continued to function with normality.Meanwhile, the department focussed on improving the information flow throughout FINSAC in terms of (a) how data is captured, and (b) how information is circulated and/or used by the various departments. 

The department successfully co-ordinated and implemented the introduction of:

• Electronic mail for all computer users;

• Internet access for all users through a proxy server;

• Standardisation and seamless communication between all three FINSAC and FIS locations through a Wide Area Network (WAN); and

• A full-featured Help Desk for all computer users. Central to the above achievements was the implementation of a Core Application, which comprises the International Comprehensive Banking System (ICBS) purchased from Fiserv, and the Columbia Ultimate Business Systems (CUBS) developed by Fiserv’s partners. The new system was put in place over a period of four months, and is now fully functional with extremely favourable impact throughout FINSAC.

ICBS provides the integration of Bonds issued into the General Ledger linking it directly to acquired assets (i.e. loan portfolios, property etc.). Day-to-day tracking of debtors and/or related assets is done on the CUBS application, which is a relational database.

Another achievement during fiscal 1999/2000 was the creation of the FINSAC website. The site carries a great deal of factual information, and requires constant and accurate updating. It can be viewed at: http://www.finsac.com

UNION BANK
The other major task during fiscal 1999/2000 was the integration of IT systems from the FINSAC–intervened banks, as the merger in Union Bank finally took place. This was achieved in September 1999, when all Union Bank branches and the new bank’s Head Office were successfully converted to one common platform – Finware.

This was not only a major first accomplishment for the department, for TFS - the interim managers of Union Bank, and for the software vendor – CITIL, but for Jamaica and the Caribbean region as a whole. 

Four different banking systems were integrated into a single platform within a nine month period. A project of this magnitude would normally be expected to take at least twenty-four months to complete.

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