Naar
A MODERN, full-service branch valued at $21.4 million of Churches Co-operative Credit Union is to open in a new development in the Portmore Town Centre by October 2003.
This was announced last week last Monday by Basil Naar, general manager of the credit union during a groundbreaking ceremony at the site. He disclosed that Churches had already invested $5.6 million in purchasing the land pointing out that the credit union's total investment was in the region of $27 million to bring the more than 250,000 residents of Greater Portmore their own one stop financial institution.
Products and services provided in the 4,500 square foot building will include all those currently available, as well as several new ones that are scheduled to come on stream during this year.
Signing of the contact for the start of construction was done last Wednesday at Churches Credit Union's Eureka Road headquarters, and involved representatives of Churches, Building Tectonics an architecture, engineering and construction consultancy and Law Construction Company.
The signing was followed by a groundbreaking ceremony signalling the official start of work on the site. Mr. Naar told guests at the ceremony that the establishment of the modern structure will do more than replace the offices that were destroyed by fire in 2000 and offer residents an excellent location from which to do business.
According to him, it also signals the official start of Churches' concerted branch expansion programme. "Our aim is to have a branch of Churches Credit Union in every parish within the next three to five years, and this is an important first step in achieving that objective," he added.
Churches' President, E. Dennis Scott, who also spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony, expressed confidence that the modern structure that is being erected in Portmore, teamed with the quality of the products and services that Churches will offer, will attract additional members of the community to do business with Churches Credit Union.
"We believe that the new branch will provide the right ambience for doing business, and should fulfil the requests of our members in that area for a more spacious facility in which to conduct their business."
Among guests at the groundbreaking was Rev. Ossie Thorbourne, one of the founding directors of the credit union.
