Dear Editor,
Reading the comments in the case of the woman who lost a large sum of money just withdrawn from the bank brought to mind my experience in Guyana in the mid-1990s.
Over a period of time I had grown dissatisfied with the poor service offered at a commercial bank, with overseas headquarters, and decided to close my account there. The proceeds were the equivalent of £4,000 (four thousand pounds sterling) and I asked for a cheque, because I intended to deposit the sum in an account held with another bank. I was taken aback when the teller, having consulted with colleagues in a side room, returned and told me I could have the money in cash. I saw counting all those bills as a tiresome exercise and insisted on a cheque.
Later on, I wondered about the bank’s cash suggestion, something many of your bloggers touched on. What if there was a teller-arrangement with ‘money grabbers’ just waiting in the vicinity to relieve unsuspecting people of substantial withdrawals? What if I had been identified as a prime victim and had had my hard-earned money snatched?
When I read bloggers’ thoughts in the comments column of your issue of Friday, 17th October, I realised how wise my choice was. The people who look after our money are supposed to be honest and trustworthy. We take this for granted when we choose them.
Hopefully, this woman’s loss was a case of sneak thieves at work and they are soon caught. Poor Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Geralda Dennison
Tek out the “what if” and the question mark from the caption.
I have a friend who lately migrated to Canada and discovered that a lot of money was withdrawn from his Scotiabank account. There seems to be some collusion with the tellers
That is the very reason why banks are often set up in large buildings with enermous imposing concrete pillars, it sends the sublimial message of honesty, integrity, trust and security. it gives us the feeling of too big to fail.
We have seen that they can fail, and maybe there is some truth, that customer trust is being compromised in Guyana.
Joe.
banks – micro-cosm of (Guyanese) society?
Wrong wrong Joe!
Where you get such a high-faluted idea?
Here in Toronto, we have banks in ’strip malls’!
Banks in malls that are by no means” large buildings
with enermous imposing concrete pillars”.
Come on Joe! Is whey you living?
But back to tthe story: yes there are collusions with thieves and tellers.
You ever wonder how come the teller answers the cell phone while attending
to you? Simple answer..;right?
I once withdrew 100 thousand Guy and was upset at the manner the teller was
openingly counting the money, plus the teller wanted my address and phone
number.Before I moved away from the cage I made three swift parcels and
as I turned to my spouse I gave her one while I kept two. We left the bank
in different directions as a precaution. My inner sense told me that I could
be pounced upon!….but it did not happen!
Tek it from me…there are collusions!
It also just takes well dressed crooks sitting in these banks or outside, with a cell phone to have the same result. Our society is not fully geared for non cash transactions.My advice: be vigilant…..take no one for granted and if you can, aviod exorbitant cash transactions…open a chequeing account.
I completely agree with Madam Dennison’s letter. Not only should the staff as tellers but also as guards at banks should have been honest and trustworthy in their duties.
I had an experience quite recently when I used an ATM. The guard on duty went into ATM together with me for God knows what. However, once my transaction was complete, I left without suspecting anything. Sooner than I had left, a well-dressed lady followed me for at least four blocks. I suspected too that he had her acomplices close by her. So I decided to play hide and seek with her. When she caught up with me by mistake, she foolishly told me that she was looking for someone from St. Marteen and I looked like him. From that, she disappeared. My conclusion was that the guard saw when I withdrew the maximum amount of cash allowed per day. And he informed his ‘money grabbers’.
So, be careful when doing bank business in Guyana, dear people
Why on earth did you complete your transaction with the guard there? You coulda asked him to get out. And what bank was this? We need to know these tips.
Collusions are going on for a long time now in GT.
Apart from the bank ,the Immigration people at CJIA ( Airport ) , the police force , the guys that exchanging mony at the street corner Etc. Just to name a few . GT is just like any other city around the world . Crooks , croooks , crooks , they all over the bloody place.
I thought this a long time now, bank tellers should not have cell phones in there, what the heck,? they can still use the bank’s phones, the banks should not have outgoing/incoming calls to employees except emergencies, what the heck,? Budram, the bank big fish, his wife and brother-in-law was doing the same here in NA. It’s either friends or families or the bank clerks that knows about these criminal activities.
Was asked by tellers to provide name and address just to change a 50 .. i gave them a wrong address etc…….did so elsewhere also can’t say where….just instinct and gut feeling be careful in GT only have small amounts of money on your person and surrender it when urged to do so by BANDITS. IT is not against any law not to provide an address at the airport ….all that will happen is your immigration slip will be retained …just fill out another one when departing.
Carl,
Yes you are right, these days you see banks in the malls, because the original sublimial message has already been supplanted, and geographics along with competition has changed. These folks taught of every way, to programme our minds my friend.
Ever wondered why the carpet in Casinoes are always dull repeating patterns, and there are no seats except at the betting machines. That is to keep your head up and at the machines, where you will find an accomodating seat.