Recently, one of our commercial banks announced that they will be a charge for cash and coin deposits over the counter and a lesser charge, should the customer choose to deposit via the night safe. In other words, pay a price for a safe deposit or run the risk of paying a lesser price and be held up.
This is now another "new charge" from our highly respected banks of earning more from the very same people that keep them in business.
Banks here in T&T charge for everything once you are a customer. They charge for deposits, for withdrawals, for use of their ATM's, for statements, and for just handling our money; and that's just a few. In fact once a customer enters the bank rest assured there is a charge. Yes these are our "poor" commercial banks that declare millions of dollars every year but somehow don't seem able to make ends meet.
It is high time that we the customers also find creative ways of having banks start paying us for services also. How about a charge from us for doing business with them; and a charge for trying to get through to them on the phone and another charge for the length of time that we spend in the long lines at their branches.
As the old saying goes: Business is business, so let's see how we can find ways of making a "small change" from our commercial banks as we, their customers, are also struggling to make ends meet and very few of us declare a profit.
Clarke Peters