In a ceremony held Tuesday, June 26, many people were invited to attend the Laying of the Cornerstone for the construction of the West End Branch of the National Bank of Anguilla. The function was attended by prominent members of the community such as HE The Governor Mr. Andrew George, Ministers of Government, and the Honourable Attorney General Mr. Wilhelm Bourne. The ceremony was chaired by NBA’s Commercial Credit Officer Ms. Marslyn Richardson. The invocation was given by Mrs. Christine Fleming, the proprietor of Christine’s Minimart. Mrs. Fleming was one of many Anguillian business people honoured at the ceremony as pioneers in the business and have made Anguilla proud with their endeavours. They are also faithful customers of NBA and were honoured throughout the proceedings.

Unveiling of the cornerstone

Ms. Pamela Riley, also an employee of NBA, made the welcoming remarks in which she indicated that West End had been anticipating Anguilla’s first branch for quite some time. Although NBA and CCB are competitors, CCB’s new Managing Director Mrs. Starry Webster-Benjamin was invited to speak. She mentioned that this new branch symbolizes the great importance of Anguilla and she offered her congratulations on behalf of the staff of CCB. Mr. Francois Lake, owner of Foods 95, the only supermarket in the west, was also invited to speak as he represented successful business people who have strived due to the help of NBA. Other business people that formed part of the actual unveiling of the cornerstone were Mr. Oliver Macdonna, owner of Oliver’s Restaurant. Mr. Macdonna was commended for sustaining his restaurant operationally for nine years while others in the west have closed and re-opened many times over. Mr. Christopher Cutler, owner of Funtime, was also commended for turning a small shuttle service into a fleet of seven boats and consequently becoming the premier shuttle, excursion and ocean leisure company of Anguilla.

Mr. Val Banks addresses the public

The Honourable Victor F Banks, Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism made an impactful speech that showed his passion and pride for the work of NBA. He said that NBA released its intention to do a branch on March 8, 2007 and he thought it was a superb idea. According to Mr. Banks, “NBA has witnessed a great deal of expansion and is ranked the largest banking institution in Anguilla. NBA is an example of what Anguillians can achieve when they put their minds to it. This branch will lead the way to a more commercial environment in the west. The success of NBA is infectious and has upgraded the level of national self-esteem.” NBA’s Board Chairman, Mr. Joseph Payne said that this is a historic project for the financial services area in Anguilla. When NBA began, it was worth EC $15 million and has grown to have assets totalling EC $1.2 billion. NBA has also won multiple awards for good corporate citizenry more than any other bank in the Caribbean. This branch is also an answer to the needs of the customers as they have received complaints in the past of the wait being too long.

Unscrewing of bolts to unveil Cornerstone

Before the speeches ended and the public invited to the unveiling of the cornerstone, NBA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. E Valentine Banks made some important remarks. “I can only imagine how long it takes nowadays to travel with the significance increase in traffic island wide. For bank customers in this area with traffic issues and long teller lines, a trip to the bank must be a significant part of the morning or afternoon schedule. At NBA we have decided that if our customers are having difficulty getting to us, we need to devise ways of getting to them. We have launched telebanking, online banking, and now this branch. This branch will consist of two floors and an operating area of almost 7,300 square feet. Our hope is that we open in 2008. The main feature of the bank will be its 14 teller positions, ten of which will be for customers in the bank and four for the drive through area. The drive through area will also have a night deposit box as well as an ATM that can be used directly from a vehicle. We will be seeking to ensure that all services available at The Valley branch are available at this branch. It is our hope that all persons who live, work, have businesses, or just pass through this area will find this branch helpful.” The architect of the project is David Kenworthy and the General Contractor is Orchard, Romney and Beck.

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News