Bank Pushing us around “For our own money”

Editor: More and more, I hear complaints about the treatment of customers by some of our leading banks in what can only be tantamount to poor customer relations. I have now experienced an example which I want to share with the public.

I am the President of one of our country’s pioneering institutions in the field of early childhood education, the YWCA, noted for the pre-school it operates now at McKies Hill, and I wish to relate the woes of our organization in its dealings with the First National Bank of St Lucia, SVG branch.

The YWCA pre-school was formerly located on Murray Road next to another such institution, the Save the Children Fund. However, the government acquired the land on which it was lodged and the school had to be relocated to its rather more inconvenient location at McKies Hill. Then it was headed by the late legendary pre-school educator, Ms. Germaine “Granny” Rose who died in 2018. The school has had to face several challenges since then, including administrative ones.

Despite all this, the YWCA has kept the pre-school open, keeping its commitment to parents. But, for various reasons there has been a fall-off in numbers and income. The school also had to comply with new financial regulations involving complying with CIPO regulations. Leaders of the organization even had to provide personal bank statements and utility bills, a statement of expenditure for its institution over the past three years, and a copy of its constitution.

Now, as we attempt to rectify the financial situation of the organisation, including clearing up its bills, we are being constrained by the uncooperative and puzzling attitude of the bank as we attempt to access our own savings at the First National. What is worse is that we are being denied access to the Manager, being told on different occasions that “Ms. Nicholls is in a meeting, or that “she is ill” or “not available”.
In the meantime, the organisation faces the embarrassment of unpaid bills while its own money lies lodged at the bank.

Not only do we find the situation embarrassing, but it is entirely disrespectful to customers. After all, we are merely trying to access our own money. We are even discussing protest action but, in the meantime, staff has to be paid while the organisation’s own funds remain frozen in the bank. The situation is a dire and urgent one and we hope that the First National would respond positively and not only release the funds but provide an explanation and apology.

Thanking you,
La Ferne Cato
President,YWCA