O’Neill tells banks to serve all citizens

COMMERCIAL banks in Papua New Guinea have been urged to extend their services to everyone in the country through their community service obligations rather than just thinking of making money.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said this in response to questions from Gulf Governor Havila Kavo and Maprik MP Gabriel Kapris, who said banks in Maprik and Kerema had closed,
affecting economic activities in their areas.
The bank in Kerema was shut down in 2009 after it was robbed by criminals who collaborated with senior bank staff.
The Maprik branch was closed by Bank South Pacific after the building it occupied was condemned as unfit for use.
Kavo said the closure of BSP Kerema three years ago was not the fault of the people.
“They were victimised as the public service machinery and economic activities had been affected.”
He said it was an injustice to the people and called on the government to deal with the problem.
O’Neill said he had written to BSP executives to reopen the Kerema branch but did not receive any response.
He said the people of Gulf did
not rob the bank.
O’Neill said it had been the work of bank employees who colluded with criminals and the people should not be penalised.
Kapris claimed 400,000 people in central Sepik had been affected by the closure of the bank there.
He said BSP was at fault for failing to renovate the former Papua New Guinea Banking Corporation building.
He said people now had to travel
five hours to Wewak to do their banking.
O’Neill said Minister for State Enterprises Sir Mekere Morauta would check with the bank.
He said Sir Mekere would negotiate and apply for a commercial licence for the National Development Bank to also provide banking services.