Singapore, 20 March 2000... The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will be holding its first MAS Lecture on 24 March 2000. The first of an annual series, the Lecture provides a platform for central bankers, financial supervisors and financial professionals in the region to listen to a prominent member of the international financial community speak on issues of current interest. It is part of MAS' continuing drive to foster dialogue amongst key players in the financial sector and to further develop and sustain a vibrant financial community in the region.

The inaugural MAS Lecture will be held on Friday, 24 March 2000 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore. The keynote speaker is Mr William J McDonough, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Chairman of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. A well-regarded and highly-respected authority in the international banking community, Mr McDonough will be speaking on the topic "Sound Banking Systems : A New Growth Imperative". His address will provide the audience with valuable insights into the challenges in establishing sound banking systems in the new millennium.

The Lecture will be attended by governors from central banks in the region and more than 300 senior representatives from local and foreign financial institutions, international financial agencies, academia and the public sector.

Audio and video recordings of the MAS Lecture will be made available at MAS' Internet website. Internet users can download the recording from 6.00pm on 24 March 2000. The full-text of Mr William J McDonough's keynote address will also be made available on the website.