This is the third consecutive year that Banco Popular is selected “Bank of the Year of the Dominican Republic” by the magazine The Banker, edited by the Financial Times of London. El Caribe reports that the classifications made by this magazine are based on rigorous and objective analyses of business and finance in over 130 countries, reflect the achievements of the world’s main financial institutions and are considered an indicator of their institutional strength. According to a note by Tanny Ribeiro, representative of The Banker for Latin America, the Caribbean and Iberian Peninsula, the Banco Popular Dominicano won after a rigorous revision of the banks in the Dominican financial system, and this recognizes it as the “best bank for doing business in that country”. Euromoney magazine also classified the Popular as the “Best Bank in the Dominican Republic in 2005”. The bank’s president, Manuel A. Grullon, said he was satisfied with these new recognitions and indicated that they are tributes to the quality of service at Popular, the backing and trust of their clients and the general public, as well as the international projection of the efficiency, strict compliance with world financial practices and the financial solvency and strength of the oldest private bank in the country.