Citizens Bank officially opened its new $2.5 billion corporate head office yesterday and was admonished by President David Granger to shy away from trying to be responsive to the needs of all sections of society.
Speaking at the opening of the bank’s new headquarters at Camp Street and South Road, Granger said it was not only a happy occasion for him but the entire country as the bank’s reaffirms its trust in the country and its “reassurance of the sort of service it will render in the banking sector.”
He said, “Indigenous banks have a vital role to play in ensuring the financial services become more inclusive. Banks have an obligation to be responsive to the needs of all sectors of society and indigenous banks, in particular, have a duty especially to micro and small scale enterprises, which traditionally have felt excluded and marginalised from the foreign banking system.”
He also charged the bank and other indigenous banks to try not to be “clones of foreign commercial banks” and should seek to transform the character of their operations by aligning their services to meet the local businesses, communities and entrepreneurs. “…Particularly the micro and small and medium-scale enterprises,” he added.
According to Citizens Bank Managing Director Eton Chester, the building has four storeys and with the inclusion of the utilities building, stands at a total of 37,000 square feet. “It incorporates many modern features including a skylight and a panoramic elevator and was designed to be both functional and operationally efficient,” he said.
Chester also pointed out that the building was designed to save energy as it was equipped with solar control low key glass and outfitted with LED lights. “These features, we are proud to say, are in keeping with Guyana’s trajectory towards the increased use of clean energy and broader efforts towards a green economy,” he said, while adding that the building also benefits from an efficient water cooling system and a modern fire sprinkler.
Additionally, he explained that the ground floor will house the main branch operations, including customer service. “Facilities are also in place to handle secure cash transactions and transfers, night deposits and an ATM service, which includes a drive through,” he said. The second floor will house key departments such as the credit, finance, treasury, human resources, legal and compliance, internal audit, management and information systems and risk management, while the third floor will have the training centre and the cafeteria.
Chester added that the building is one that all Guyanese can be proud of since it is a modern and impressive structure. “Our investment is ample testimony to our longstanding and dedicated commitment to contribute to the overall development to Guyana,” he added.
Chairman of the Board of Directors Clifford Reis also made brief remarks along with Minister of Finance Winston Jordan.
