The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK 

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net 

THE Bank of The Bahamas opened a branch in Bimini on Monday restoring banking services to that island for the first time since the Royal Bank of Canada pulled  out on August 2.

There was a long line of residents at the bank in Alice Town to do their banking. Residents are happy and relieved to have services restored.

“We are happy there is a bank here,” said a resident who identified herself as Shanny. “I have not been in yet, but I understand that the line was crazy out there yesterday (Monday).”

Residents were disappointed and concerned when they learned that RBC, which had operated on the island for some 50 years, was closing its branch there.

The financial institution notified its clients and customers that it was merging its Bimini branch with its RBC Freeport branch in Grand Bahama, leaving residents, businesses, and visitors without access to banking services.

When The Tribune spoke with Ashley Saunders of the Dolphin House on July 4, he described the pullout by RBC as “the biggest let down” for the island of Bimini. He stressed that residents were very disgruntled over it.

When this newspaper spoke with Mr Saunders on Tuesday, he said said he was pleased BOB stepped in to offer banking services. 

“It opened yesterday (Monday) for the first time, and it is going pretty good,” he told The Tribune. “People are in and out; people are very pleased to have a bank back in operation here again.

“We are relieved and back to normal, thanks to Bank of the Bahamas. It has been very busy with people going in and out, and especially on a day like to today (Tuesday) which is National Insurance day,” he said referring to pension payouts.

Mr Saunders said residents are very appreciative and happy to have BOB there.

Sue Duncombe, of Sue & Joy’s Variety Store, was also very grateful even though bank cards and debit machines were not in operation yesterday.

“I was there Monday, but I was only able to get my account number. The cards and debit machine are not working. But I think they will have us sorted out by the end of the week.

“We needed a bank so badly, and the way Royal Bank pull out on us we have to be grateful,” she said.

West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe had indicated earlier that she and the government were committed to bringing resolve for her constituents in Bimini.

“I will stop at nothing to have my government attract a viable and suitable option,” she had said in July.