Govt. insists banking as usual

• At least 1 bank to be open in each DS area under curfew
• Presidential Task Force looks at promoting mobile banking services to maintain social distancing

Presidential Task Force on Essential Services has decided at least one bank branch will be kept open for a set number of hours at each Divisional Secretariat where curfew is in force.   

Head of the Task Force Basil Rajapaksa, speaking at a meeting on essential services at Temple Trees on Friday, had emphasised on the need to continue to strengthen the national economy, the Task Force said in a statement yesterday.

Attended by heads of State and private sector institutions in the banking and financial sectors, the discussions mainly focused on the following matters:

• The continuation of activities in all commercial banks without interruption for the conduct of international transactions.
• The clearing of cheques as usual.
• The maintenance of ATM machines as usual and the possibility of having mobile ATM services.
• Maintaining of services at bank branches with minimum staff.

Accordingly, it was decided that at least one bank branch would be kept open every day for a designated number of hours in each DS division in the areas where curfew is in force.

Attention was focused on the need for mechanisms for the bank to go to the customer and for the introduction of mobile banking services at every possible opportunity, rather than having their customers come to the banks at a time of risk such as this.