PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar has said that agro-industries can be developed at Charity on the Essequibo Coast, with the opening of the new branch of Citizens Bank on the second floor of the Alfro Alphonso five-storey shopping complex.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Monday of the first commercial bank at Charity, he congratulated the Citizens Bank Board of Directors for establishing the facility.
The Head of State said the bank is extremely important for the development of society and economic growth and will offer services they never had before to citizens of Charity, Pomeroon and the North West District.
Mr. Ramotar said with the commercial bank at Charity, farmers will have access to loans which can develop the processing industry.
Pointing out that banks serve as an engine to economic growth and have a social role to play in the development of societies and helping people, he said farmers of The Pomeroon, with limited resources, have built Charity to where it is today and the bank is a significant development that shows the growth of the community economically.
President Ramotar observed that Greece, parts of North America and the United States (U.S.) are experiencing financial troubles with their banks while, in Guyana, banks are expanding.
He noted that three commercial banks,the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), Republic Bank and Citizens Bank, recently opened their doors to the public at Grove/Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara.
He also acknowledged that the recent GBTI commissioning of its new building at Lethem, Rupununi, shows growth and expansion of the banking industry in Guyana.
The President announced that, shortly, more banks will be opened in the North West District, of Region 1 (Barima/Waini) and an office of the Guyana Gold Board will open next to the Citizens Bank at Charity in the second floor of the Alfro Alphonso shopping complex.

Good area
Citizens Bank Chairman, Mr. Clifford Reis in his address at the Charity function, remarked that it is a good area to establish a bank because of its geographical location.
He said the need for the establishment of a commercial bank at Charity arose after it was revealed that businessmen and women traders, farmers from The Pomeroon and residents of the North West District had to travel some 15 miles to access banking services on the Esseuqibo Coast.
President Ramotar joined Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh and Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr. Robert Persaud to cut the ribbon and officially open the new bank at Charity before touring the premises and interacting with staff.
Also at the commissioning were Chairman of Region 2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Mr. Parmanand Persaud; Regional Vice-Chairman, Mr. Vishnu Samaroo; Member of Parliament (MP), Mr. Cornel Damon and Mr. Anrold Alphonso, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Alfro Alphonso Group of Companies.