Dear Editor,
I have noticed that Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd has decided to compensate for the inconvenience caused due to the transition and upgrade of its electronic system, for which they should be applauded.
However, one issue that needs urgent attention is the online purchasing system using its card. As a Guyanese, I am not sure if it is applicable to other territories as well in which they provide similar services, for me to make an online purchase and/or transaction I must first make contact with the bank’s head office in Trinidad and Tobago for them to provide access to my account, which was opened in Guyana. It is burdensome to make calls to Trinidad and Tobago every time one has to do an online transaction because access is given only for 24 hrs. Hence, a subsequent transaction would necessitate another call and note that not all the time you will get through easily or may have wait and go through extensions to get to the individual authorized to open the account. In addition to the inconvenience, the cost to call to Trinidad and Tobago must be borne by the account holder. The account holder is in no way at fault if the bank cannot provide proper security for the transaction and payment; that is the responsibility of the bank and as such it should be the one to provide such calls free of cost to the account holder or return the remittance.
It is unfair because I did not apply to any office outside of Guyana to initiate any process to open my account and I was never told subsequently, that I would need to make contact with its headquarter in Trinidad for any transaction. Through this medium, I am calling on the Bank of Guyana to make the necessary declaration to protect the citizens from being unfairly treated and ensure that Republic Bank (Guy) Ltd compensates for all the calls made for this purpose.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
