Argues that even in an era of technological innovation and financial sophistication, the basic mobilization and use of society's savings remains the paramount role of the financial sector. In fulfilling this role, different types of financial institutions, with diverse areas of specialization and operational modalities, have distinct relative advantages. The performance of Jamaican financial institutions in fulfilling the basic facets of intermediation is compared, and areas in which particular types of financial institutions have exhibited higher standards of performance relative to the rest of the sector are highlighted.
