Banks to close half day as pressure mounts for E-Day to be declared national holiday

The Guyana Association of Bankers Inc. (GABI) on Wednesday said its members will be closed at noon on Elections Day, as pressure mounts for March 2 to be declared a national holiday.

The GABI in a statement said, “this arrangement is imperative as it would provide the employees of the member institutions with ample time to exercise their franchise at the polls.”

Members of GABI are the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, Demerara Bank Limited, Citizens Bank Guyana Inc., Bank of Baroda, Bank of Nova Scotia Guyana, Trust Company, New Building Society, Guyana Americas Merchant Bank and Hand in Hand Trust Guyana.

President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Nicholas Boyer told the News Room that several of the businesses in the city will also be closing their doors early on E-Day including the National Hardware where he is a Director.

“As an employer, we have a lot of rules enshrined in the law governing making sure your employees are being able to vote,” Boyer said.

The Private Sector Commission on February 20 issued a statement calling on the Government to declare Monday a national holiday. The PSC said this will ensure the maintenance of law and order and the free and unhindered access to and from the polling place for every citizen qualified to vote on Election Day.

Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan told the media on Friday last that he is contemplating whether to declare Elections Day a National Holiday.

When contacted Wednesday, he told the News Room that he is still “considering” whether to declare March 2 a national holiday.