Timeline

  • 1967 | THE RESPONSE

The journey began when Mr. Albert Morris had a concept to create a credit union for members of the corporate area, however, his vision was far ahead of its time and didn’t materialize until 1967 when there was an outcry from the citizens of Kingston and St. Andrew for such a union causing his proposal to be resubmitted to the Jamaica Co-Operative Credit Union League (JCCUL) and the Registrar of Co-operatives by Mr. Paul Chavannes, a CUNA Mutual sales representative to Jamaica and Belize. Despite there being 130 credit unions at the time, they were limited to restricting their membership to certain professions or churches. Thus, the City of Kingston Co-operative Credit Union Limited (COK) was born from this lobbying on October 26, 1967 and held its first Annual General Meeting on November 26, 1967, with just 13 members and a total share of sixty pounds (JMD $120).

The COK concept meant that for the first time, people could join a credit union once they were residents of the corporate area.

 

  • 1969 | FIRST EMPLOYEE HIRED!

Mr Chavannes voluntarily ran the COK office from his desk in CUNA Mutual’ s Office, located at JCCUL headquarters at 2A Manhattan Road, Kingston 5 until February 1969, when the first employee was hired.

 

  • 1973 | GROWTH & EXPANSION

After renting space from JCCUL on March 01, 1970, COK had outgrew its accommodations and purchased property at 27 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5 in April 1973 in order to expand its operations. Then the company once again had to relocate it offices, this time to 66 Slipe Road, Kingston 5 to a previously acquired property, in December 1979, due to its vigorous growth and development.

 

  • 2009 | MERGER OF COK & SODALITY CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT UNIONS

On November 01, 2009, the City of Kingston and Solidarity Co-operative Credit Unions merged to form COK Sodality Credit Union Limited, marking this day as one of great importance and historical meaning to the credit union. The merger expanded the bond and membership in the Credit Union to individuals who are:

  • Persons of the Catholic Faith
  • Persons working or living in Kingston & St Andrew
  • Employees of the Society
  • Relatives of members who qualify under (a) and (c) above, provided that relatives include Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, Son, Daughter, Aunt, Uncle, Husband, Wife, Niece, Nephew and Grandparents
  • Members of other Co-operatives

 

  • Today | COK TODAY

Today, COK enjoys the largest membership among all credit unions in not only Jamaica but the entire English-speaking Caribbean and serves members in Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine, Mandeville, Montego Bay and other parts of the Island as well as Jamaicans overseas in North America, the UK, Grand Cayman and other Caribbean countries.