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Scotiabank TT Managing Director Gayle Pazos. FILE PHOTO – Scotiabank

IN A BID to be a more all-inclusive entity, Scotiabank is facilitating sign language training for its staff to enable them to better interact with and give better service to the bank’s differently-abled customers.

The bank said in a release on Friday that it recognises the importance of making banking as easy as possible for all customers including the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

With this in mind, it is working on ensuring front-line employees at each of its branches are trained in sign language.

“Providing the best banking service means creating an environment that takes into account and respects the requirements and needs of all our customers.

“Having employees trained in sign language enables them to communicate more effectively with deaf and hard of hearing customers.

“It also supports customers’ ability to carry out their banking transactions with complete independence, boosting their confidence and comfort in dealing with the bank,” said Gayle Pazos – senior VP and managing director of Scotiabank TT.

Since 2021, the release added, front line employees across the bank’s branches have participated in a series of educational training on finger spelling, sign language vocabulary, basic communication and banking communication.

To date, just under 50 employees have been certified and the bank said it remains committed to rolling out continued training for more employees in the near future.

“We’re proud that 95 per cent of branches have certified employees who aim to provide a more positive, hands on and inclusive experience for the deaf and hard of hearing community,” Pazos said.

A deaf customer of the San Fernando branch commented recently, “Now that Scotiabank has sign language as a tool, everyone gets an opportunity to communicate privately without the need for an interpreter. I am happy that my community can now access banking services easier.”

Employees have also provided positive feedback. Akilla Morton of the Lowlands Branch indicated, “Participating in the training has allowed me to have a greater appreciation, basic understanding and means of communicating with members of the deaf and hard of hearing community who visit the branch.

“I have already used what I learnt to communicate with deaf and hard of hearing customers in a simpler and more effective way.”

Shebeka Diaz of the Arima branch said, “This training has helped me provide excellent customer service. I enjoy seeing the smile on my customers’ faces as I can communicate with them in their preferred way of understanding. I am proud to be a part of a bank that has adopted such an inclusive initiative, showing care for all members of society.”

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Black Immigrant Daily News

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Member of Parliament for Manchester Central, Rhoda Crawford, has called for the National Water Commission (NWC) and the National Works Agency (NWA) to better coordinate their activities to prevent situations where freshly paved roads are constantly dug up by the water utility.

Crawford made the call on Tuesday during her contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives. She said she was particularly disheartened a few months ago when a NWC team dug up a section of a roadway in her constituency mere hours after it was paved.

Crawford said she accepted that there will always be challenges.

“But there are some man-made hurdles that can be removed or systems can be implemented to allow for greater effectiveness. Consequently, permit me to call upon the National Works Agency and the National Water Commission to enter into, and or enforce a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure that the two entities execute their duties collaboratively,” Crawford said.

“We have far too often borne witness to the dismantling of freshly asphalted roads to facilitate the installation or repairs of pipelines,” she added.

Crawford told her colleagues that: “My heart broke a few months ago when I received pictures and a phone call from an angry and frustrated constituent who saw a work team from the NWC digging into a section of the roadway less than two hours after my ‘ROAD-A-FIX’ team had concluded road repairs. This practice must not continue, too much of taxpayer’s monies and time are being wasted”.

Meanwhile, the first-term Member of Parliament wants the Minister with responsibility for Water, the executive management team of the NWC and the managers of UC Rusal Windalco to jointly consider the feasibility of Government’s lease or purchase of at least three of the four wells located at Windalco’s Williamsfield plant in the constituency.

Crawford pointed out that the existing wells have the capacity to store and produce approximately three to four 4 million gallons of water daily.

“This far exceeds the existing 1.3 to 1.5 million gallons made available daily in the constituency through the NWC. With access to some of Windalco’s wells, many of the communities within the constituency that are not serviced by the NWC could for the first time gain access to potable water. This access would also create a more consistent flow of water into the homes of existing customers thereby tackling the issue of frequent water lock-offs,” Crawford said.

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El secretario del Departamento de Agricultura, Ramón González Beiró, indicó que las pérdidas económicas en dicho sector tras el impacto del huracán Fiona ascienden a los $100 millones, y que el típico pastel que se degusta a partir de noviembre y hasta febrero, en el periodo navideño, será a base de producto importado, debido a la pérdida de cultivos de guineo y plátano.

Aunque aclaró que no ha culminado el proceso de inspección y que no puede precisar las pérdidas en las industrias del plátano, el guineo y el café, informó que la pérdida general, “según los cálculos, a través de las ocho regiones, ya sobrepasan los 100 millones […] Definitivamente, plátanos y guineos, esta Navidad, los comeremos importados. Vamos a comenzar la próxima semana un proceso de identificar fitopatólogos para enviarlos a fincas en el exterior, certificarlas y establecer cuál va a ser el procedimiento para importar plátanos y guineos de forma segura y que no traigamos enfermedades que, posteriormente, sean peores para nuestros campos”, señaló el funcionario.

Asimismo, González Beiró indicó que espera que se sumen más solicitudes por parte de agricultores para reclamar daños y pérdidas en sus áreas de trabajo. La senadora por el Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana (MVC), Ana Irma Rivera Lassén, pidió en la tarde de ayer, jueves, que se extienda la fecha límite para dicho proceso.

“Hasta anoche había dos mil reclamaciones y hoy esperamos muchas más. Obviamente, hay reclamaciones que ya están en el correo. Hay agricultores que la sometieron por correo. Pero [de] esas dos mil, la mayoría son vía correo electrónico, así que debemos estar por ahí. Yo pienso que hoy llegarán 800 o mil adicionales, y ya los inspectores están en el campo”, indicó el secretario.

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Pawn shop Cashwiz has opened a sixth Jamaican location in Half-Way Tree. It also aims to launch two additional consignment stores in the country by the end of this year.

Cashwiz Regional Manager for Jamaica, Cargill Brown, said the additional location would continue to serve as a gateway for survival for the people it serves.

“With the global volatility and uncertainty that we now face and the continued global shortages of resources and rising inflation, our solution is to provide quality retail products to consumers. Our core – the people we serve – see us as a gateway for survival and continuity,” Brown said.

“Our mission is to be the largest and most profitable chain of pawn stores in the world, and this new location will enhance the speed at which our clientele can buy, sell and trade their items with us.”

Brown also disclosed the company’s intention to expand its footprint on the island this year.

“We are in the advanced stages of preparation to open a third store in Kingston, as well as a second Montego Bay location in the coming months,” he said.

He added: “These locations were strategically selected based on demand, and as time progresses, we intend to move into other parishes to better meet the needs of our clients.”

Cashwiz Regional Manager for Jamaica, Cargill Brown.

Located at Shop 21 Spring Plaza, the new store joins the company’s State Mall, Half-Way Tree Road in the corporate area, and its four other locations in Portmore, Montego Bay, Mandeville and May Pen, respectively.

Like its other stores across Jamaica and the Caribbean, the Springs Plaza Cashwiz will boast a wide selection of new and pre-owned valuables including (but not limited to) jewellery, electronics, household appliances, conch pearls and diamonds, musical instruments, tools and motor vehicles, and will allow clients to sell, trade, and even buy back their own items in mint condition.

General manager for the new location, Nyoka Blake, shared that she anticipates the Springs Plaza store to perform as well as the other location across the region and serve as another lifeline to those who need it.

“We’re looking forward to delivering exceptional service to all our different types of clients,” she expressed. “At Cashwiz we are always finding innovative solutions to assist our customers, some of whom are searching for credible ways to get by, and we will continue to deliver that at this location.”

Cashwiz, which is a Caribbean company operating in 10 regional markets, made its debut in Jamaica in 2012 and opened its flagship store in Portmore in 2017.

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