In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) is taking steps to help safeguard its customers and employees.
According to a GBTI release yesterday, the Bank will be introducing a series of measures that will take effect from 26 March for a period of up to six months. They are as follows:
Waiver of Interest and late payment fees
● Late fees on loan payments
● Penalty interest on loans
●Credit card – late fees
● Penalties for early withdrawal – Term Deposits
Loan Restructuring
●Three to six months moratorium on loans
● Debt restructuring
● Deferral of loan payments
● Reduction of interest rates
The Bank also emphasises that in order to be eligible for the above measures, customers must be in good standing with the bank and will be considered once they make a request for review of their facilities.
In order to help promote the strategy of social distancing to combat the virus, the GBTI advises that customers contact the Bank via email at banking@gbti.com, telephone or letter. If it is not possible to use these methods of contact, customers may then visit the branch nearest to their location and their requests will be individually assessed.
The Bank further advises that customers who must come in to complete their transactions, ensure that social distancing guidelines are practised and that they take advantage of the sanitizers on offer.
Customers are also encouraged to make use of debit and credit cards, Direct Banking and Mobile Banking; electronic banking platforms as well as the Bank’s countrywide network of ATMs and Point of Sales Terminals.
GBTI assures that it sanitises its environs according to the guidelines set out by the World Health Organization in an effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the release added.
