Dear Editor,
I experienced some anger when I recently attempted to conduct a business transaction at a city bank. On April 20, 2018, I and an overseas business partner went to the Republic Bank at Camp Street to conduct a significant business transaction.
After waiting for more than one hour, we received attention from two bank employees, a male and a female, as the bank was approaching its closing time. They asked for, among other things, proof of address. I tendered a letter addressed to me with the Commissioner of Police letterhead and signed by David Ramnarine DSM, Asst Commissioner of Police in his capacity as Commissioner of Police (ag).
The banking officials asked for the envelope. I explained to them that a policeman in uniform delivered the document to me by hand, and that I did not have the envelope. They said that I must produce an envelope that came from a post office as proof of address, and that is the bank policy.
They blatantly refused to accept the letter in question.
They had, moments before, accepted from me a letter purportedly signed by the deputy head of the Human Resource Department of the company I worked for as proof of my employment, but refused to accept one signed by the Commissioner of Police (ag.) as proof of address.
Is it that they do not trust the Police? The female stated that some private persons do produce their own documents as official ones. I then offered a copy of my TIN certificate as a proof of address, as my address was stated on that document.
They agreed that it can work as proof of address, but asked for the original copy of my TIN certificate. I told them I did not have it on my person; it was at my home. They refused to accept the copy as proof of address.
However, they had accepted the same copy as proof that I was registered as a tax payer.
Perhaps, what is good for the goose is not good for the gander, according to banking policy and procedure. I must mention that the employees were extremely courteous, but they stuck slavishly to their unjust policy. I was perturbed. I left the bank without doing any business. I vowed never to do any more business there, or with any other branch of that bank. My hard-earned money will now go elsewhere.
As I was leaving the bank, I wondered how many more like me — retirees, pensioners and others — will have to suffer in the name of anti-money laundering policy Republic Bank-style, as that bank unjustly enforces its unnecessary and draconian policies on persons wanting to do legal business with that entity.
I also wonder: Why are certain things in Guyana so inherently incredible?
Yours faithfully,
Clinton Conway
Assistant Commissioner of Police
(Retired)
