The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Some North Andros residents are enduring frustrating four-round trips to visit the area's sole automatic teller machine (ATM) only to frequently find it is not working.

Several told Tribune Business that the Scotiabank ATM has been experiencing technical issues for the past four weeks and, while bank personnel have been on-site for the past several days attempting to solve the problem, the machines are still out of order.

With many families and individuals still heavily reliant on cash, residents from the Behring Point area have to commute two hours each way to Nicholls Town to use the Scotiabank ATM. It is the only financial services access point available to those who are unable to take a ferry or plane into South Andros, where Bank of the Bahamas has a presence.

A North Andros business owner, speaking on condition of anonymity, stressed that companies and personal banking customers are experiencing difficulties without access to the ATM. She said: “Businesses and regular customers in North Andros, all the way to Behring Point, need this service. We are truly hurting without this ATM. Persons have to travel to Nassau and spend over $200 on airfare just to get funds to pay their local bills. It's really been too long we need help.

“Due to the ATM being out of commission so many businesses are suffering due to no cash flow on the island. The pensioners who rely on this service are suffering even more.” The North Andros business owner blamed these woes for an increase in theft and other social ills. She also stressed that with Andros being the largest island in The Bahamas, commuting times and distances tend to be longer.

“Stealing has also increased as we have had major break-ins lately because of this issue. The communities are too small to have such an inconvenience. When [the ATMs are] in service, which only sometimes last for one day, the lines are long with no shade and people tend to get very irate. We should be far beyond this kind of issue as no other Island is going through this sad inconvenience," the business owner added.

Ms Bowleg, a North Andros resident, called for additional ATMs on the island to replace the current outdated models left behind by many commercial banks since they ended their physical branch presence and withdrew from many Family Islands.

She said: “Apparently the ATM is an old model, and the bank had a problem getting a special replacement part, I was told. I was also informed that most banks feel this is not a profitable district so they’re not interested in coming. If this is indeed the case, Scotiabank should invest in additional ATMs and upgrade the current one in place. Perhaps install one in Central Andros.”

Another resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that if Bahamian commercial banks have chosen to only provide digital services in Andros they should ensure there are enough ATM machines available for consumers to conduct transactions. She said: “If we are going to settle for ATM machines as our banking systems, then there should at least be more than one ATM on the island.”

Ms Bowleg, though, acknowledged the difficulties in placing additional ATM machines in North Andros, and suggested upgrading the existing one as a first step to alleviating the island’s banking issues. She is eager for a credit union to be formed to provide banking services for the area.

“No, we shouldn’t settle, but we cannot get [an ATM] tomorrow, so upgrade what we currently have. That is my suggestion," she said. "Let’s have a conversation about a credit union… my interest indeed.”