Written by Denison Paul (St.Pauls Football Club)
I opened my first savings account at the Sandy Point Branch at the age of 14 or 15 years. I remember well because it was my mother who insisted that I do so. It was during the Easter vacation, when absenteeism was at its highest rate amongst regular cane cutters. Several of my class mates and I had convinced Mr. John Saunders, then Manager of Belmont Estate to employ us as cane cutters to augment the pittances our parents made from their regular jobs. We told him that the income we made would go towards the purchase of uniforms and books, we all attended the Sandy Point High School at the time. We must have made a strong case because Mr. Saunders obliged (god bless his departed soul).
I opened my first savings account at the Sandy Point Branch at the age of 14 or 15 years. I remember well because it was my mother who insisted that I do so. It was during the Easter vacation, when absenteeism was at its highest rate amongst regular cane cutters. Several of my class mates and I had convinced Mr. John Saunders, then Manager of Belmont Estate to employ us as cane cutters to augment the pittances our parents made from their regular jobs. We told him that the income we made would go towards the purchase of uniforms and books, we all attended the Sandy Point High School at the time. We must have made a strong case because Mr. Saunders obliged (god bless his departed soul).
I vividly remember that first Saturday taking home my pay envelope and giving it to my mother. She tucked it away and on Monday insisted that I accompany her to Sandy Point to open an account at The National Bank. I opened the account then and deposited my entire earnings for that week. Every Saturday after that I would buy my mother a Giant Malt, keep a few dollars for incidentals and deposit the remainder at The Sandy Point Bank. It was a choice that my mother and I made without coercion from anyone.
There was a change in government in 1980, and the word was out that the new government would run the bank to the ground and so we were encouraged to divest from National Bank. Even then as a young man I choose not to end my banking relationship with National. I started work in 1984, again I was encouraged to divest, I did not, because I rationalized that National was an indigenous bank and that the profits it made would be invested in the development of the people and country.
I have no argument with the hard working ordinary staff at National. My experience with the Bank over the years has been rewarding, the service has generally been efficient and professional. When I purchased my home in 1994, it was at National that I did the financing, when I was ready to insure my home, National was my first choice, when I bought my old car National was the only insurer I considered. I am presently studying abroad and again my first student loan came from National. I have EC savings and checking accounts, US saving accounts and credit cards with National. I am presently a shareholder and have been for ten years now. As president of the St. Paul’s Football Club I started an account with National as president of the Youth and Experience Football Club I did the same thing.
So why am I choosing to end such a long and mutually rewarding relationship with my bank? The answer is clear and simple The National Bank no longer espouses the ethics and virtues that are compatible with me and my community. The Bank has sponsored an Under-13 Football Development Program which is organized by the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association. The SKNFA has mandated that as a pre-condition to participate, all youngsters must open accounts at National Bank.
The St. Paul’s and Village Superstars Clubs have both objected vehemently to this policy. They argued that parents should have the right to determine the bank with which they choose to do business and that it was unethical to deny the people that choice. The St. Paul’s Club wrote to the Bank expressing its concerns and asked the Bank to use its influence as sponsors to effect a change in the policy. The Bank did not even have the courtesy to respond to the club’s letter.
I have concluded that my Bank has lost touch with the ordinary working class people of this country who faithfully and religiously nurtured the bank from its inception. This may be due to the fact that National is now the biggest bank in the Eastern Caribbean and has thus developed a sense of arrogance.
As a consequence the children of St. Paul’s and West Basseterre are barred from participating in a youth development program funded by the profits accrued from the sweat and blood of these loyal masses. My bank’s timing could not be worst, as each of these two communities have lost two of their young men as a direct consequence of dastardly acts of violence in the last couple of months. This program was intended to use football as a means to address to the issues of deviant behaviour amongst our young men. What message does this send to them?
Based on the issues raised in this article it is now my intent to end my business relationship with the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank and seek out another bank that shares my personal values and that of my community. I doubt that my decision to withdraw my meager savings from National would cause any undue concerns at what is now a billion dollar enterprise. But at least I have taken a stand.
All views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not be attributable to any other party. Dension Paul is a former Vice President of the SKNFA and President of the St. Paul’s Football Club.
