U P D A T E

Readers asked about other branches, one even suggested the changes for CIBC was made because the Central Bank itself is pushing in this direction. So we made some discoveries and publish accordingly, because more than one bank has curtailed hours does not mean the customers are treated correctly – a fact we’ll show via the opening hours of some overseas counterparts…

What about banking abroad? Bank of America’s rule of thumb is 9:00 am to 5:00 pm from Mondays to Fridays and 9:00 am until 2:00 pm on Saturdays (The erstwhile Caribbean Commercial Bank briefly toyed with this, I loved it, was told not many people used the option – odd, since while the bank wasn’t crowded it wasn’t empty either) However, these hours can alter depending on laws within each state or city of the USA…

This is allegedly a New Year, yet 10th January 12 months ago Barbadians were threatened with an egregious charge to conduct online banking transfers between different banks as an instant transfer as opposed to the previous trope of three to five business days. In an unprecedented move, the current iteration of the Central Bank pulled a Gandalf against those institutions and screamed “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!“ via a directive from Governor Dr Kevin Greenidge, no less…

However, 2025’s diapers are yet to be soiled and CIBC drops a notice via their mobile app how their hours from 1st February will change…

Did they run a survey first? (Like when they changed Redezvous to a Premium Banking outlet, they claimed they did research, yet the customers I asked responded how they were told, not asked) By the way, Rendezvous’ alteration was also a January, but that was 2016…

Maybe it’s a strategic move to encourage Bajans to use their phone apps more, I have paid bills online via mobile since December 2016 but not necessarily every Barbadian will feel comfortable with such an option – for me, it beats standing in a mile-long queue outside of a Sure Pay at the end of every month!

The hours listed immediately reminded me of the joy I had when being a Radio Announcer, getting wages month-end, then rushing to Barclays Bank on a Friday hoping to reach their Cambio booth to cash my pay-cheque before they shut (yup, this was before Direct Deposit, that’s another story)! In the late 80’s, banking was 8:00 am until 2:00 pm from Monday to Thursday while Fridays was generously extended to 3:00 those afternoons.

The Barbados chapter of Facebook is aflame with the anger and rejection of the measure, not only personal commentary from Bajan netizens but entries made in the Customer Service groups. When do Barbadians realise the banks can only do what they do so long as they have their funds to manipulate, maybe it’s time to put some feet on your currency and let the money do the walking?

This is also reminiscent of fighting video games, when the referee declares the next round, where’s Ryu or Liu Kang when you really need them? Probably stuck with an ATM or an App not offering the full array of services found with face to face banking when necessary…