NBIC works to absorb 90,000 GNCB customers
-Says bank cards are the way to go
By Oscar P. Clarke
Stabroek News
May 19, 2003
The National Bank of Industry and Commerce (NBIC) is optimistic that initial teething problems associated with the recent takeover of the commercial services of the Guyana National Co-operative Bank (GNCB) will soon be alleviated.
NBIC's Managing Director, Michael Archibald, along with the bank's Regional Manager, Keith Johnson, on Friday outlined the menu of measures being put in place to provide a reliable and comfortable atmosphere for its customers.
A rigorous campaign has been activated to promote the use of 'plastic' or the Automated Banking Machine (ABM) service to facilitate quicker transactions and aid with the easing of congestion in the bank's branches.
To this end Archibald noted the installation of additional ABM facilities at some branches including in Linden and in the city with more expected to come on stream in the coming weeks.
He said improvements were ongoing at the bank's new Guyana Post Office Corporation branch, one of those acquired from GNCB.
ABM facilities have also been boosted at the bank's Water Street office and are expected to be operational from today while an ABM machine is being installed at its Anna Regina branch.
An additional machine is expected to be located somewhere along the East Bank Demerara.
Examining the situation in Linden, Archibald said that the initial rush and long lines were mainly due to former GNCB customers querying their accounts.
He was however optimistic that once the vast majority were satisfied and that they had accessed ABM cards, the current office would be more than adequate to service the community. Archibald was further heartened by what he said was the response to persons in that community to the ABM cards.
Some 90,000 GNCB customers were absorbed by NBIC following the March merger and these numbers were said to be holding steady although a few who already had NBIC accounts were merging those with others from GNCB.
Already NBIC is experiencing between 60,000 and 70,000 ABM transactions per month, which is a significant increase over the last three years from that of around 30,000.
Questioned on the situation in the mining community of Kwakwani where NBIC has closed the previously operated GNCB branch, Archibald said that it was not an economically viable venture and he noted that communications with that location were a problem.
He said NBIC prepares salaries for workers in sectors in that community at the request of the companies which then forwards these to their employees.
Other branches which were closed include the GNCB branches at Cornhill Street in the city, the Linden branch and at Corriverton.
NBIC is slated to offer these premises for sale once they have finished clearing out property. Archibald said the government, through the Privatisation Unit, had been offered free use of the Kwakwani branch office in recognition of difficulties likely to occur from the branch's closure.
Archibald said all former GNCB customers would soon have access to a range of new products that had previously been enjoyed by NBIC clients including tele-banking.
The ABM allows for the payment of several utility bills including electricity, telephone and internet services.
Apart from the ABM and the tele-banking facilities, Johnson pointed to the debit point of sale machines now located in over 100 supermarkets, stores, restaurants and fuel stations at which customers could pay using their cards.
The bank is seeking to expand this service in a drive to lessen the need for persons to carry around large sums of cash especially in the current environment.
Over a hundred staff from GNCB were rehired by NBIC and Archibald praised the recruits who he said had adapted well.
One ongoing issue, identified by the NBIC officials, was the payment of pensions every second Monday of the month when a large crowd is evident outside its offices. They acknowledged this problem would likely continue until they devise an alternative system.
