IT’S been more than a week since Opposition Leader Philip J Pierre wrote an open letter to the President of the Bankers Association of St. Lucia, Wendy Delmar, concerning the recent practice of certain banks refusing to cash the cheques of non-account holders.
But he is yet to receive a response — and the Association has yet to issue a long-promised statement.
In an interview with The VOICE, Pierre confirmed that he has still not received a response to his letter.
Local commercial banks have also been mainly tight-lipped on the matter.
A representative of Bank of St. Lucia (BOSL) said an impending response from the Association will be indicative of its position on the matter.
Three attempts were made by this reporter, in the past week, to get an interview with the Association’s president, but to no avail.
CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank does impose a $10 fee on non-account holders cashing cheques, but The VOICE was also unable to get a statement from that bank in that regard.
Sources at the bank said, however, that Country Manager Ladesa James-Williams will provide a statement next week.
To date, only 1st National Bank has openly stated it has not and will not adopt the practice of refusing to honour its own cheques.
Managing Director Joachim Johannes told The VOICE LAST WEEK THAT HIS BANK WILL HONOUR all its cheques, whether the holder has an account with his bank, or not.
Meanwhile, it appears that the statement from the Bankers Association President might still be a while in coming, as this reporter was informed by Scotia Bank – where she works – that “Mrs Delmar is currently on vacation.”
