The ratings on National Commercial Bank Jamaica Ltd. (NCB) are underpinned by the bank's relevant market presence in the Jamaican banking system and the support it has received from the Jamaican government to restore its financial condition and weather the problems brought on by the banking crisis. The ratings are constrained by various factors, including the uncertainty on NCB's future ownership, the still-short record of NCB's structural changes to improve its financial profile, the important liquidity burden related to FINSAC bonds, and the modest growth prospects for both the bank and the Jamaican economy. NCB is a leading institution in Jamaica and benefits from strong brand-name recognition. With Jamaican dollar (J$) 81 billion in assets (US$1.8 billion at J$45 to
