Dear Editor,

It is with profound disdain and more than slight annoyance that I put these words together on an issue that became clear to me recently.

I visited the Bank of Nova Scotia recently in Santa Cruz to negotiate a cheque drawn on an account held at that institution. Upon entering the banking hall I was approached by a female representative who enquired as to my business and how she could possibly assist. I responded by stating my intended business with the cheque as described earlier.

To my utter shock, the young lady replied that the bank had ceased negotiating local cheques across the counter and the only way for me to get the monetary value was to visit the automated banking machine and deposit same using an associated debit card. This obviously is a service for account holders. I hastened to mention that I discontinued my association with this institution years ago because of policies I found to be of no benefit to me.

I then questioned the employee as to what was the recourse for someone without an account with the institution. To this query she replied with a bemused look and a shrug of the shoulders. I further enquired as to when this policy came into effect to which she replied that it was so for over a year now. This was quite a big surprise to me, added to the fact that one of the security officer’s rudely insisted that I remove my sunglasses, which I reluctantly did to avoid escalating what was already a frustrating and befuddling scenario.

What further raised my ire was the statement that came next from the employee. She proceeded to advise me that had the cheque been one of Canadian origin, then it would have been dealt with by one of the tellers standing mere metres away. This absolutely took me out at the knees. Needless to say, I left the institution greatly annoyed and in a state of shock, mentioning to her while leaving that this is why I would never seek another account with said bank ever again.

Banks are private institutions and I get that they make policies that suit their operations as they see fit. But to refuse to negotiate a cheque in your institution’s name drawn on a local account yet be willing to deal with one of foreign origin in the name of your very bank is to me quite ludicrous.

As a Jamaican who has witnessed the policies of banks change so drastically over the years that we cannot save to any significant benefit to ourselves is insult enough without having to endure the barefaced audacity of these institutions. High fees charged to negotiate cheques, fees to do basically everything associated with our accounts, the closing of branches in convenient locations that force us to travel great distances in many cases to do business with these institutions and many other issues show the scant regard these mega-rich peddlers of financial wizardry have for the people who do business with them on a day-to-day basis.

And with successive governments refusing to do much to temper the rampant manner in which these money consumers function, one is left to ponder whether greener pastures in other spheres isn’t a more suitable option as we simultaneously patronise the warmth yet no-interest-bearing safety of our mattresses.

Tycon Allwood

travel.allwood@gmail.com