Scotiabank Centre, downtown Kingston, corporate headquarters of the Bank of Nova Scotia Jamaica. The bank, which ends its bill-payment service July 31, says customers can pay via telephone or the Internet instead. - File

The Bank of Nova Scotia or Scotiabank (BNS) Jamaica will no longer accommodate the payment of utility bills at its branches effective Tuesday.

"The decision comes after an agreement with all three utility companies - the National Water Commission, Cable and Wireless and the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited," the bank said in a release.

More than 19,000 bill transactions are made at the bank's 39-branch network monthly. BNS said that by discontinuing the service, it frees staff to deal more speedily with other customers.

"Our customers need to get in and out of the bank in the shortest possible time," said Senior Vice-President, Retail and Electronic Banking, Mrs. Audrey Tugwell Henry.

"To facilitate this and eliminate the customary standing in line to pay bills, we are encouraging the use of the more modern option of electronic delivery channels."

BNS customers, like other commercial banks, are allowed bill-payment options via Internet banking or through portals like TeleScotia, via telephone. The latter, however, is not a free service.