Gov’t in talks with banks to restore special lines for sister island residents
Premier Andrew Fahie has said his government is in talks with banks across the territory to have them reimplement queues specifically designed for residents on the sister islands.
The Premier made the statement during the recent handing over ceremony of the North Sound Administration Building rededicated in honour of John E. George.
He was speaking on the many difficulties and delays experienced by residents of the sister islands when travelling to the mainland of Tortola to conduct business.
“You go to the government facility to find out that the person who is dealing with it is either out sick or on lunch, or in a meeting and you have to pass back. These are real things that happen that people don’t like to say, and then find out that you have to come back in about an hour or two,” he said.
“Then you have to go to the bank and when you reach to the bank, there were special lines in the bank which we are speaking with them now to put them back in for the people on the sister islands … They take out the lines and put you in a regular line and by the time you get out, it’s probably one hour before you catch the ferry. You run go back over to the government facility to get tended to and sometimes you hear, ‘come back tomorrow’,” the Premier explained.
Public officers and businesses asked to be more lenient
The leader of government business also urged public servants and members of the private sector on Tortola to be more considerate towards persons from sister islands when conducting business.
“When you living on Tortola, come back tomorrow is easy because you just get in your car or catch a ride and you go to wherever you’re going and then you come back tomorrow. And I’m asking all the officers to be more sensitive, and the banks to more sensitive and all the other organisation in Tortola to be more sensitive to the sister islands brothers and sisters,” Fahie said.
He further hinted at the possibility of instituting an initiative where public officers from Tortola work on the other sister islands to experience the hardship faced by these individuals.
“I told persons that, one of the times, [what] we have to do in the public service is take up some of them and have them work on the sister islands for a month, and let them catch a boat and go over, and catch a boat and come back in the afternoons,” he added.
Premier Fahie said believes such an experiment will help to allow persons on the mainland to understand the valuable nature of time for residents on the sister islands.
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Great… maybe the bars on the Sister Islands good extend the same courtesy to us Tortolans when we visit ?
The Foy trying to suck up to anyone and everyone to make himself look good. Foy my man, it’s too late. You going down field *****. Get ready for an orange jumpsuit and chicken with no bones.
What you need to do is tell the banks to have a sufficient amount of tellers and customer service staff to serve their customers for them to not have to wait for hours. Some don’t even have senior lines. Tortola customers need to get better service just as sister island customers.
What you need to tell the banks is make the lazy Belongers work or fire them. That will move all lines not just at the banks. Other locations such as Immigration and Customs, Motor vehicles, Ferry dock, etc. Try to instill some work ethic in the locals. Everyone will be happy then.
Good news buy I think they need a special day and not line
Go get drunk cracker!
It is believed that Hon. Premier fully and completely understands and is accutely aware of the root cause of the problem.
But, let’s remind him again. The problem with those financial institutions, (banks) is service production.
They employe one teller for one hundred customers. At such a ratio, service must be severly compromised. And, there is regulartory body to ensure such abuse of the public is dealth with.
They make mega millions, but spend peanuts in doing so.
They do not value the customer’s time, only his money.
The Premier needs to step up, be bold and strong and ask for the right changes. But not only that, he needs to craft and implement legislation corrcting and enhancing such issues. Too much abuse of the customer goes unchallenged in the territory withe banks and other institutions.
Well said. The Premier having a conversation with the banks is well overdue. However, if only about special lines for Sister Islands’ residents, the banks will have a good laugh at that. Why? They have been treating the people of the BVI like second class citizens for far too long.
You have been kind with your 1 teller per 100 customers ratio, but When you have two tellers working in a bank with thousands of customers, it shows a lack of not only business acumen, but basic human kindness as well. It sends a clear message that we are the big Banking Institution, you are only the customers, you have to wait for our service and wait we do sometimes for hours to cash a cheque or make a deposit.
Also mortgage rates in the BVI are not at all in line with those in the USVI, PR and other Caribbean branches. The difference between the mortgage rates for our BVI Branch and the St. Thomas branches, huge difference with us being the big losers.
Premier and Financial Services should both pay all banks a visit in the interest of all Virgin Islanders as we are all in need of proper representation when it comes to service from these institutions.
What the bleep am I reading here??!! He wants special lines for sister islands? Thats a priority right now??
Mr Premier we need ALL the Banks to step up to the plate and offer BETTER RATES, BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE for ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL OF THE BVI! Wth this guy is thinking??