PIRG:   A BANKING DISGRACE

THIS IS NOT BANKING.  THIS IS A NATIONAL DISGRACE.

FOR OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS THE COUNTRY HAS SEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF CALLOUS DISREGARD FOR BANKING CONSUMERS VIA THE LONG LINES AT ALL COMMERCIAL BANKS WHERE TELLER BOOTHS ARE OPERATING AT BETWEEN 20 TO 30 % OF THEIR CAPACITY EVEN AS BANKING “PROFITS” HAS INCREASED BEYOND TRIPLE FOLD.. IT TAKES AN AVERAGE OF 50 TO 135 MINUTES TO COMPLETE A TRANSACTION AT THESE FRUSTRATINGLY LONG TELLER LINES WHILE BANKERS APPEAR COMPLETELY UNCARING, EVEN WHEN SUCH SERVICE IS NOT PRACTICED IN CANADA BY RBC & SCOTIA. YOU CAN EVEN MISTAKE SOME LOCAL BANKS FOR A PUBLIC HOSPITAL WITH CONSUMERS SITTING ON ROWS OF CHAIRS FOR HOURS WAITING FOR NON TELLER SERVICE. AND THE FACT THAT FCB IS OUR NATIONAL BANK IS EVEN A GREATER SHAME. I RECALL VISITING CANADA AND SAW A SIGN POSTED AT ROYAL BANK ‘IF YOUR WAIT IS MORE THAN 10 MINUTES, PLEASE ASK FOR THE MANAGER”.

WITH THE STARK EXCEPTION OF ONE GARNING CHING FORMERLY OF RBTT MARAVAL WHO WOULD LEAVE HER OFFICE AND WALKED HER FLOOR TO SERVICE CUSTOMERS IN TELLER LINES, IT SEEMS QUITE EVIDENT THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE IS DEFINITELY NOT IN THE PORTFOLIO OF A LOCAL ALOOF BANK MANAGER CAUGHT UP IN COLONIAL TRAPPINGS, INCLUDING DEPENDENCE ON A SECRETARY, OBLIVIOUS IF NOT COMPLETELY UNCARING ABOUT THESE EXCESSIVELY LONG LINES AND SHAMEFUL DISREGARD FOR CONSUMERS TIME.   IN THE USA BANKS ARE REFERRED TO AS “RETAIL STORES” THUS MAKING IT MANDATORY TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FOR MANAGERS, STAFF AND THE BRANCH TO BE COMPETITIVE. IF A MANAGER SEE A LINE BECOMING IN EXCESS, STAFF IS PROMPTLY DIRECTED TO ASSIST CUSTOMERS.

UNFORTUNATELY OUR ABUSED CITIZENS OUGHT TO BE THE WORLD’S MOST TOLERANT WHEN IT COMES TO SIMPLY ACCEPTING SUCH TARDY BANKING SERVICE AND WHY THEN MUST SUCH DESPICABLE SERVICE BE PERPETUATED ON TRINIDADIANS & TOBAGONIANS IN A MOST LUCRATIVE MARKET FOR LOCAL BANKS? AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHO IS STANDING BEGGING FOR SERVICE ITS PLAIN TO SEE IT’S THE VERY CORNERSTONE OF BANKING, OUR INDIGENOUS AFRICANS & INDIANS WHOSE COMBINED SMALL SAVINGS PROPELS LOCAL BANKING, PROVIDING THE PIVOTAL CAPITAL THEN LENT WITH LEST QUALIFYING REQUIREMENTS TO THE AFFLUENT MINORITY CLASS. 

IT IS TIME OUR CONSUMERS REALIZE AND EXERCISE THE POWER THEY HOLD, INCLUDING THE POWER OF BOYCOTT, AS THAT IS THE ONLY TOOL THAT CAN CHANGE THE SHAMEFUL & DISRESPECTFUL PRACTICE OF LOCAL BANKING, INEVITABLY FORCING THEM TO DO BY FORCE WHAT THEY SHOULD DO BY CONSCIENCE.