About Us

Established by Damien & Paulina Beddoes in collaboration with the Australia & New Zealand Banking Group, Cook Islands, the Bank of the Cook Islands, the Bank of South Pacific, Cook Islands, and supported by the Cook Islands Government through the Business Trade and Investment Board, with international support from the Asian Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group. The Cook Islands Credit Bureau operates solely in the Cook Islands providing information to our members through a sophisticated but user friendly software system, accessed through the internet.

Our principal business is the operation of a Credit Bureau database where members can access the credit history and identify details of their customers. The Credit Bureau also assists members with debt collection when defaulting debtors are listed on the Credit Bureau.

Compliance Committee

We have stringent measures to safeguard the accuracy of information and a Code of Conduct governs our members. However we have a Compliance Committee to ensure that the public has a place go to if anyone is not satisfied with the Bureau’s operations. The Compliance Committee is independent of the Credit Bureau and is expected to be chaired by a prominent Justice of the Peace in the Cook Islands. The other members will be made up of the Managing Director of the Credit Bureau, and a representative of each Bank, but will exclude any member who may have a conflict of interest, with the exception of the Managing Director of the Credit Bureau.

Accuracy of information

Accuracy of information is of extreme importance to our members, borrowers and the Credit Bureau. While the Credit Bureau depends on the information provided by our members, we take all possible measures to ensure that the data we store is accurate. Quality control and safety nets are placed in every stage of our operation. The accuracy of credit information is also dependent on correct information supplied by customers to our members.

Confidentiality of information

While providing a comprehensive database at the fingertips of our members, we are mindful that the data we retain is confidential and personal. We have put in place a highly secured website with the same security setup as those in the e-banking industry. Our users are identified and given a password to allow them access to the information and an audit trail is kept of their access. Through our Code of Conduct, our members are required to obtain authorisation from a consumer before a search is carried out.

The Credit Bureau Board

The Board of the Cook Islands Credit Bureau Limited is made up of the Directors of the company and a representative of each of the founding members, ANZ Bank, BCI Bank, and BSP Bank.

Directors

Paulina Beddoes

Managing Director

Paulina has more than 25 years experience in Leadership and Management positions in the Cook Islands and New Zealand including Finance and Debt Management. She is also a major shareholder in the Cook Islands Credit Bureau.

Damien Beddoes

Director

Damien has over 20 years specialist experience in the Finance Industry in New Zealand and the Cook Islands, and is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund. He is also a major shareholder in the Cook Islands Credit Bureau.