Dear Editor,
It has been a long while ago I discovered that the banks in Guyana have implemented a new set of rules pertaining to citizens who wish to open a new bank account. Some of these new rules don’t make much sense to me when I evaluate them very carefully. To open a new bank account all our banks in Guyana require the following:
1.Two forms of identification that is GECOM’S National ID Card & a valid passport
2.A job letter
3.A passport size picture
4.TIN certificate
5.Birth Certificate & Marriage Certificate at some banks.
6.Transport and Business licence or Registration where necessary.
I was not aware of all these laws until I visited the bank to renew my US Visa card, that flabbergasted me. My first concern was why does the bank require two forms of identification? I have a valid National Identification Card given to me by GECOM, now the bank is telling me that my identification card alone is not good enough to identify me. That tells me clearly that the bank is degrading an identification card given to me by GECOM. Is the bank a higher entity than GECOM?
In my personal opinion, I don’t see this new regulation necessary for our Guyanese people to produce two forms of identification for a new bank account. Some banks don’t accept a valid driver’s licence that’s now given to us by GRA. That I find very ridiculous and disgusting.
I don’t have a problem with a job letter but a whole lot of our Guyanese people are self-employed selling at the markets and street corners. Who is going to give them a job letter?
Now they want a TIN Certificate. Why is that necessary? Some old folks and illiterate folks ask me if they need a ‘tin cup’. Why all these laws now on our old citizens and some young citizens who can barely read or write.
How many of our Guyanese citizens have a TIN Certificate or two forms of identification? All these new laws are making it more difficult for the ordinary man and woman to have a bank account. When I inquired about this I was told that all these laws came from the un-passed anti-money laundering bill. If this bill is not yet passed then it means these laws integrated into this bill cannot be implemented as yet in our nation’s banks.
I also discovered that the banks also need two forms of identification for a huge sum of money withdrawn and the same goes to cash a cheque. It’s unfortunate the banks never sent out letters to their customers informing them of these new rules, so they travel miles to do their business to be turned down.
If this new law about two forms of identification is in the Anti-money-laundering bill then it should be made available at every bank and our libraries, university, schools, and health centres to sensitize our Guyanese people.
In my personal opinion, if this law of having two forms of identification is required by law then GECOM must now issue every Guyanese citizen with two forms of identification, one full face and the other a side view that must be very visual. I am aware of many market vendors who cannot open a bank account because of all these rules. In my opinion, an ID card and birth certificate is good enough to open a bank account. Why all this hassle for our poor citizens?
It is my sincere hope that these rules can be amended to suit the needs of our people or the banks will sooner or later be forced to close their doors. Our Guyanese people are tired with laws and long lines where we have to wait for hours. The banks have become a miserable place to be in and to make it worse none of our banks have toilets or rest rooms or even a canteen since we have to spend hours in the long un-moving lines. The purpose of any business requires putting people before ourselves and our draconian laws.
May God help us.
Yours faithfully,
Rev. Gideon Cecil
