The Tribune

Commonwealth Bank’s president yesterday said it hdad “fallen on its feet” through being able to re-locate its Oakes Field branch to the former Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) site on JFK Drive, a building it expects to occupy for four months.

Ian Jennings said the branch was set to open today, and will be offering all normal services apart from night deposits, which will be handled at Commonwealth Bank’s Town Centre Mall location. Saturday banking will resume from this weekend.

The Oakes Field branch, which was damaged by fire during last Tuesday night’s floods, and its 30-strong workforce will occupy the former 5,000 square RBC site in the Burns House building at the corner of JFK Drive and Bethel Avenue.

Mr Jennings described the swift re-location, which has taken place in just one week, as “falling on your feet, so to speak”.

He was unable, though, to say whether Commonwealth Bank would bring forward its planned $2 million expansion of the fire-damaged Oakes Field branch, as the damage assessment had not been completed.

“The temporary loss of our Oakes Field branch is really unfortunate, but we are pleased to announce that we will be opening on Wednesday, May 29, at our new temporary location at the corner of JFK and Bethel Avenue, across from BTC,” added Mr Jennings.

He said the move took “a herculean effort”, but credited staff and the co-operation of RBC, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), Cable Bahamas and other vendors.

“Everybody bent over backwards to assist,” said Mr Jennings. “We were able to save some equipment from Oakes Field, so we moved that in, and BTC and Cable Bahamas have been all but tripping over themselves to help.

“Royal Bank of Canada also assisted us by making equipment available to us that they had just moved out of their old branch. Our staff pulled out all the stops in getting this new location ready, working around the clock if necessary. We just cannot thank everyone involved enough.”

All Oakes Field staff have been relocated and the phone number, 322-3474, has been transferred to the new location, close to the six-leg roundabout on JFK Drive.

Police have not yet released the report of their investigation into what may have led to the blaze that erupted at the height of the freak rain storm that dumped nearly 16 inches of water on parts of New Providence in a matter of hours.

That storm was accompanied by bursts of thunder and lightning, with one bolt so bright it turned the night sky pink.