Dear Editor,
During the month of September 2009 which was also the Holy Month of Ramadaan I visited the New Building Society’s (NBS) branch in Rosignol (Region 5) in order to withdraw funds (to pay my zakaat; which is 2.5% of my financial assets) from several accounts I have there – these accounts are in the names of both my sons and myself.
After the necessary paperwork was prepared I presented my ID (GY passport) along with both my sons’ Canadian passports as per verification of account holder.
However, much to my displeasure the teller who was attending to me told me that I could not access my money because my passport had expired a month ago (a fact I was aware of). However, I am known personally to most of the staff and the branch manager who was on leave at the time so I knew that I could be identified even without an ID – Bank Policy or not. Even so, I had also presented my sons’ valid passports as well as all passbooks in our names; and the amount of money I was requesting was not a large sum (it was well within the five-digit margin) and it was for a worthy cause.
The question is I wonder how many more customers of this bank may have had this same or similar experience; what if someone had an emergency and needed the money at the very moment even if they had an expired ID. Isn’t an ID just a way of identifying the person presenting his/her ID for verification of documents being presented at the time even though the form of identification may have expired, or does it mean that the person has also expired?
I believe it was most unfair that I could not access at my convenience my money that I deposited in this institution for safe-keeping.
I wonder if people should resort to innovative ways of keeping their money instead of using banks, then what will happen to all the jobs and elevated lifestyles our money helps to create for employees of these establishments!
I must admit that this experience made me want to take my cash and invest it else where; but certainly not at another bank for the Republic Bank is just the same.
On the other hand, I took the very same expired passport to Scotia Bank in New Amsterdam and closed an account.
The question I would like answered is why Scotia Bank can accept my expired passport to close an account but NBS would not let me have a few thousand dollars of my own money because of the same expired passport! Isn’t this an outrage? After all I am a bona fide member of the New Building Society.
In closing I would like the officials of the NBS to know that I am very disheartened about this experience and I hope they would work towards improving their policy on the issue I have brought to their attention.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Juliet Dukhi
