Premier to address long lines with local banking association
Residents of the BVI have complained bitterly about long, winding lines at banks and other institutions — particularly over the last two years — that have left patrons exposed to the sun and some even fainting; requiring medical attention as a result.
These concerns finally appear to have found fertile ground at the government level, with Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley disclosing recently that the complaints will be taken to the banking association for redress.
“Yes, recently some concerns came to me about some of the long lines and I made a note to have a discussion with the banking association to see what can be done to better accommodate persons,” the Premier said.
Dr Wheatley acknowledged that many of the long lines started with the advent of the COVID-19 virus and the resulting government-mandated restrictions to reduce its spread.
“Yes, we eased some restrictions, but of course, there’s still the need to remain vigilant because COVID hasn’t gone away,” Dr Wheatley stated.
The government relaxed COVID-19 restriction protocols months ago, leaving the discretion entirely up to business owners as to how they will determine access to their establishments and whether they will continue to enforce social distancing, mask-wearing and hand-hygiene protocols.
In addition to this, the government decided at the time that it would no longer be issuing quarantine, and isolation orders to persons who test positive for COVID-19.
The Premier noted, though, that the government continues to ask that persons strengthen their immune systems and that they use proper hand hygiene. He further urged that if persons are sick, then they should stay at home as opposed to potentially exposing others to the COVID-19 virus.
“I do think it’s important that we are also aware of the comfort of our customers… You have elderly persons, persons who are exposed to the heat. So, we have to make sure that we make our customers as comfortable as possible,” Premier Wheatley said.
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He could address anything? Give me a break please people. You all can’t tell that we are at our lowest point in leadership ever with these people who have in government?
Change the management at the banks. Why should a bank have six teller kiosks but only two tellers on hand? The bank managers are poor at allocating resources a the critical service times.
How the Banking Association has not seen this for themselves yet is what is truly frightening. Ever thought about asking that question?!
They just do not care. This has to be one of the worst banking in the world. These banks make millions on the backs of the residents and businesses of the BVI and no where else in the modern world would this be acceptable.
The Banking Association stands by because they have always gotten away with it, and will continue to do so. I see nothing changing.
Surely this is the FSC’s responsibility? They are the regulator of all banks in the BVI, and they are supposed to protect the public interest.
They are also *supposed* to be independent of government. But if they only ever deal with matters at the Premier’s beck and call, that doesn’t say much for their independence.
Allow more banks to serve us. Competition is the cure. And the government should offer free internet service to everyone within range of its antennas. This would stimulate tourism.
The worst banks in the world.
The problem is that big international banks will not operate here.
Why that is you may guess.
Might be because of the BVIs bad reputation
Might be because they wont pay bribes to politicians.
The banks don’t care about people, only their money they want us to be debt slaves
The new site should have included a photo of National Bank and not Republic Bank. Correction must start at home.
The Premier should also address why it takes a year or more to get anything done at that particular bank and why there are phones in the establishment.
The Banks are are all horrible, with Banco been the worst of the worst, they are even worse than the telecoms companies which in itself is no easy feat.
The problem was created by the BVI Govt, the more the Govt looked away the more liberties the banks took and the government kept rewarding them, they even gave one of them an exclusive contract for all of their banking busines.
Read between the lines.
Also why is there no working phone number to contact these banks?? Honestly!
Wait until God forbid a customer drops down outside while waiting in line. This is inhumane and needs to be dealt with asap!
There’s no urgency. Taking their sweet time, one today, one tomorrow. As if they can’t be bothered.
He needs to address the insurance rates. These post-hurricane rates can’t come back down yet? I am sure they have made back all the money they spent out by now!
and they are not answering the phone where the automated process cannot do!
I STILL MAINTAIN THAT WE NEED MORE BANKS IN BVI .THE BANKS IN BVI PUT TOGETHER CONNOT HANDLE 30,000 PEOPLE TRANSACTION EFFECIENTLY . LOAN PROCESSING IS ANOTHER STORY. CUSTOMER SERVICE NON EXISTENT.WE NEED AT LEAST TWO NEW BANKS IN THE BVI.
Not to mention their special brand of “Compliance”. You deal with them on compliance for 3 weeks, hand it all in. Then they announce they want all the paperwork notarized. Deal with that another 2 weeks and then they announce they want something else. It’s like they can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. Send them email, with 6 people on an email list, no response. Don’t ask about calling. You have to go to their facebook page and get it from someone in Barbados or somewhere. Call the local number, go through all the changes, leave a message because no one actually answers the phone, no return call. These banks are supposedly regulated but they make their own rules and FIA and FSC don’t know these banks exist. Even they say the banks and insurance companies are asking for more compliance than is necessary, but no one wants to stick their neck out and go public with that. And then please don’t be old, that’s just too much. They’d rather close your account than deal with you. It’s all really too much, but we are a captive audience, we are going nowhere and what would be the sense of changing banks? Where would be better?
One bank in particular does its customer service right there on the floor. Other customers are watching your records when they turn their screens or leaning over and hearing everything. Not even banks in third world countries operate like some of these banks here……..I would have thought if FSC employed anyone with a modicum of sense that would be an data security issue but that lets you know we in a sad state here in the BVI………
That will only work if it is a white tourist, if it is what them call here a “down islander” they would not bat a eye…..
One reason the lines are so long is because people don’t use online banking services here. Where else in the world do you see so many people at banks every day? There should be no need to go to a branch when you have services like mobile deposit and telephone banking. But the moo moos that live here like to cash checks and keep their money at home under a mattress lol.
You don’t like the drive up customer service at one of the banks where you do your personal banking right there on the open floor and by the time you leave you know the person next to you account number and date of birth and co signers? The thing that kills me at some of these banks is they would do as&&@ness like that and then utter ‘We are not sure how your details were compromised’. Smdh lol Only in Nature’s Dirty Little Secrets……..
Their services are really horrible. Heard that they don’t pY well so the workers really don’t care how they deal with you.
Got a loan from one of them months ago and up go now they can’t update the system so that the money can come from my account. I have to keep going in and wasting time in the lines.
They have phones, they just do not answer them. I was sitting in the waiting area upstais National Bank one day, and I call a particular manager’s number because I was trying to reach him for days and I notice that he was in his office. I saw him look at the phone and totally ignored it. They also do not return calls.
The insurance rates are not going down. They will increase further in a few – give it time. I pay in installment and as one year passes its time to renew again, so that is a bill for life.
this is what happens when you have a bunch of momo running a bank… they think long lines around the corner are the norm. It’s so frustrating beyond.
THE FSC FAILS THEP EOPLE INTERNALLY .FSC MORE CONCERN ABOUT INTERNATIONAL AND OFFSORE COMPANIES. HOWEVER POWER ALWAYS LIES WITH THE PEOPLE AND NOT ONE OR ANY GOVT STATUTARY BODY. THAT SAID, THE PEOPEL SHOULD PICKET ALL THESE BANKS AND FSC UNTIL MORAL AND ETHICS IMPROVE.
Some immediate solutions:
– Force banks to hire more staff and stop squeezing the employees to generate more profit
– Make every business enterprise accept payments by plastic, to reduce usage of checks and cash
– Increase stamp duty on checks from 10c to $5
– Use British banking practices and make all checks crossed (so preventing them being cashed or transferred to a third-party)
– Make all salaries payable by direct transfer to an account, not by cash or check
The commercial banks are inefficient and under-staffed, but many people like using checks and cash to avoid paying payroll tax, SS, NHI, etc. Cash and checks are vital for tax avoidance and money-laundering, so Government and FSC can start there.
The long line os because of the added 10 percent on western union.
Inthe US. Have not been in my bank in years.
All my transactions I do online. Deposits,transfers,ATM for cash withdrawals.
My account is available to me 24 – seven on my cellphone.ATM machines are on every block it seems.
Bill payments are done online.
Most important is having access to the internetlne The BVI has unpredictable and slow access.
In these modern times ,lack of internet access is indicative of 3rd World status.
The Bsnks in the VI are also not insured ???.
must have taken a leaf out of Immigration and Labour Department play book?!
totally agree – it makes zero sense how people bank here, yes banks aren’t great but the 1970’s attitude from customers doesn’t help either.
It would work.if online banking allowed bank to bank transfers. This line thing is so played out its not funny anymore. What crap. The bvi move backwards in everything each day. Sad
I’m confused as to why the government needs to start these discussions…one would think that the banking association and the banks themselves have a vested interest in improving customer service and figuring out for themselves how to solve this problem. It’s sad that the government needs to intervene on this and indicates that the banks themselves are not motivated to do better on their own. Shame on them.
There are lot’s of things you need to do in person at the Bank. You don’t see so many people lined up in Banks in other countries because there they receive immediate service and don’t need to line up. And maybe in other countries procedures are handled different like ATM and Credit cards mailed to you directly and pinned over the phone or online, checks mailed directly….But forgot you can’t get anything mailed to you here neither – lol
Why do some people all they do is attempt to malign others? Dr. Smith was a problem. the Drew was a problem. Now Sowande is a problem. Man stop it!!! Some people seems like they just live for complaining. Give the chap a break !!. Let him do his job..
Hire more staff?? To do what?
In the real world take note..banks are void of the physical bodies of customers. Bank tellers are now dinosaurs of the industry. ATM and online banking is the way that banks now operate.
A customer having to hitch a ride ,or pay an exorbitant fare to arrive at a bank and stand in 80 degree sun just to get inside the door is a problem that banks and Government cannot solve. It is a social issue and the mentality along with the demographic makeup must be revised. Allyo behave like lower form of animals and are treated that way.
“Insurance” of banks in the US is needed because many of the banks there are risky businesses that are not well capitalized and which provide risky loans. Many US banks go bust every year. And the cost of the insurance has to be paid by someone – i.e. the customer – so you get higher charges and less deposit interest so that the banks can pay the insurance premiums. At least the BVI only allows in strongly capitalized banks with decent international risk ratings.
The stop light by treasure isle need to sort out..the light tht signal to go police station need to say red and not dark wen the other say go to the festival ground. Who dont know is causing accidents
I think the banks need to fix that mess.
One of the problems is the brainless security people who pick and choose who can enter and when!
They’re not ‘security’ but actually crowd control.
Proper hand hygiene is soap and water, not that smelly chemical goop. Covid peaked in 2020, we are now 2022, let us all get on with our lives unhindered by the attention given to all these lunatics and their paranoias.
Only so much can be done online. However the online access does not work consistently either.
You mean Banco customer service line. 3 hours wait time!
Shame he cant address the inefficiency at the local banks as well!