Dear Editor,
Recently, I visited the Republic Bank (Water Street Branch) to get a new ATM card. During the interaction with the teller, she asked me to sign my name over and over again. Apparently, she wasn’t pleased with my signature and wanted me to sign by writing my entire first and last names, which is not usually how I sign my name; I normally initial my first name and write in cursive. I informed her of this and my valid ID card which I presented to her had my signature how I usually sign. Despite this, she insisted that I sign the documents she presented to me in the manner that she wanted. Having spent almost two hours waiting for this interaction, I decided to comply and received my card.
I believe that the teller did not fully understand what a signature is and there are many others like her, tasked with the same duties. I even overheard her telling a colleague that my signature is ‘bad’. It seemed like the teller cannot write or understand cursive handwriting but besides that, a signature does not even have to be legible. This is not the first time I have encountered this issue. Notably, when I registered for my first ID card the GECOM staff doing house-to-house registration insisted that I sign my name by writing the complete first and last names on the form. Fortunately, for subsequent registrations I was ‘allowed’ to sign how I always do.
This matter which appears minor has serious consequences because the validity of documents could be questioned. However, it can be easily addressed by the bank. The first step would be to familiarise the employees with the definition of ‘signature’. Check a dictionary or google the term. While a signature can be legible, illegible, in cursive or print what is important is consistency, comparing it to the form of identification presented and using other verification methods.
Sincerely,
Narissa Deokarran
