BSP goes rural

BANK South Pacific is now setting up rural branches, cash agents and Eftpos merchants throughout the country.
The services will benefit people from rural areas and ensure people who live and work in isolated areas have access to basic banking services.
The bank now has 15 rural branches. It plans to have 40 by the end of the year.
Rural branches in the highlands region are in Chuave, Daulo, Gumine, Henganofi, Lufa, Banz, Kerowagi, Minj, Tambul and Wapenamanda.
Kinim, Mutzing, Walium are in the Mamose region with Keravat and Palmalmal in the New Guinea Islands region.
BSP rural banking head Kili Tambua said in Mt Hagen last Wednesday: “Cash agents are a selected group of qualified individuals who have met specific criteria regardless of their size or capabilities with an approved agent who is issued with a tablet to perform cash-in and cash-out transactions.
“The sole trader can be a trade store owner who is registered and issued with an Eftpos terminal for rural-based customers to buy goods using their Kundu card.”