‘The poor need ATMs too’

THE Chairperson of Congress of Democrats’ (CoD’s) Mondesa branch has lashed out against commercial banks for the absence of automatic teller machines (ATMs) in the Swakopmund suburb.

“The poorest of the poor at Swakopmund continue to be disadvantaged by both the public and private sector, and the banking fraternity is no exception,” said Memory Naweses in a media statement. She questioned what yardstick was used by banks to decide where to put ATMs, saying that, if population size was taken into consideration, Mondesa, with about 10 000 residents, should have been their No 1 priority.All the large commercial banks did business at Swakopmund, but “none have found it necessary to set up ATMs in Mondesa”, said Nawases.”It is a clear sign that these institutions are only interested in the money of the poor and not the poor people themselves”.She argued that installing ATMs would alleviate socio-economic inequalities at the town and “it will also cut down on the long queues every month-end in the centre of town”.”The poor people of Mondesa spend the little money they have on taxis to travel to town for a mere balance cheque or to withdraw their meagre salaries.The rich don’t care.They have their own vehicles and can travel to town as many times as they wish,” she said.Naweses named Erongo Governor, Samuel Nuuyoma, in her attack, focusing on his “dark-tinted-glass, state-of-the-art Government Pajero”.The CoD chairperson added that, if banks wanted to use vandalism as a counter- argument, they could employ the same security arrangements as in town with guards on duty 24 hours.She questioned what yardstick was used by banks to decide where to put ATMs, saying that, if population size was taken into consideration, Mondesa, with about 10 000 residents, should have been their No 1 priority. All the large commercial banks did business at Swakopmund, but “none have found it necessary to set up ATMs in Mondesa”, said Nawases. “It is a clear sign that these institutions are only interested in the money of the poor and not the poor people themselves”. She argued that installing ATMs would alleviate socio-economic inequalities at the town and “it will also cut down on the long queues every month-end in the centre of town”. “The poor people of Mondesa spend the little money they have on taxis to travel to town for a mere balance cheque or to withdraw their meagre salaries. The rich don’t care. They have their own vehicles and can travel to town as many times as they wish,” she said. Naweses named Erongo Governor, Samuel Nuuyoma, in her attack, focusing on his “dark-tinted-glass, state-of-the-art Government Pajero”. The CoD chairperson added that, if banks wanted to use vandalism as a counter- argument, they could employ the same security arrangements as in town with guards on duty 24 hours.