The people and residents of New Ireland not only celebrated the New Ireland Provincial Day this week, they are also celebrating the improved banking facility with the opening of the BSP Namatanai Branch today, Wednesday 28th July, 2021.
BSP, the leading bank in PNG and Pacific, opened its Namatanai doors today with an upgrade from Sub-Branch to a Branch, offering more banking services for customers in Namatanai.
In opening the upgraded branch, BSP Financial Group CEO Robin Fleming said, “Our bank is committed to our people in New Ireland and particularly to the people of Namatanai.”
“The Namatanai Branch will be a relief to the people in the district as well as customers who travel to Kavieng, Lihir and Kokopo main branches to conduct simple banking. Our customers will be able to save time and money as the service is now at your doorsteps. SMEs, churches, schools, Family Groups and Personal Banking customers will benefit from the bigger facility.
Namatanai is the southern and larger of the two districts of New Ireland Province, which includes the Tabar and Lihir Groups and Tanga and Feni Islands. It is one of the most populated districts in the country and in New Ireland as well.
Mr Fleming added that BSP has six banking facilities in New Ireland Province. “We have branches in Kavieng and Lihir and sub-branches in Simberi, Konos, Lukurumau and Namatanai Hybrid Branch which service over 30,000 BSP account holders. Apart from these branches, we have around 10 ATMs and over 240 EFTPoS in the province.”
“We’re not just a financial institution; we are a Bank for the community. We have given back to the people of New Ireland through our Community Projects, over K550, 000 in value since 2009 in our 24 projects covering Education, Health, Sports and the Environment.
“This year our Kavieng Branch will renovate the Ablution Block at the Kaselok Primary School and our Lihir Branch will supply of desks for Olekowa Primary School and we will continue to provide these projects in New Ireland in the years to come.
Mr Fleming concluded saying, “BSP remains committed to expanding, upgrading and improving its services around the country with the recent opening of our branches in Maprik, Koroba and now Namatanai Branch this week. BSP will also open new banking centres in Lae and Mt Hagen in the near future.”
Minister for Forest and Member for Namatanai Honourable Walter Schnaubelt in acknowledging BSP for making it happen said the Branch opening is a huge achievement for the people of Namatanai and New Ireland and encouraged them to look after the facility.
“Our local farmers now have access to income due to the Buying Point established by the Namatanai Advancement Limited (NAL), a business arm of the Namatanai District Development Authority which was established two years ago. Our local farmers make an average of K18,000 per week. With all these monies floating around we need financial institutions like BSP so that our people can save their monies,” He added.
Namatanai is set to see more developments taking place soon with plans underway to have the airport open that would attract more investors and deliver more services to the people.
With the expected expansion in the district, Mr Schnaubelt further added, “BSP Namatanai Branch would not only serve our people but the business houses and the population at large that come to the district to invest”.