The Department of Finance via the Accountant General’s Office or Treasury Department has launched a long-awaited initiative dubbed, Micro Payments Convenient Cheque Collection. Accountant General, Matthew Branford said this initiative is set to directly impact the ease of doing business with the Treasury Department by decentralizing the collection of Cheques via its Sub-Offices in Soufriere and Vieux Fort.
“So, introducing Micro Payment Convenient Cheque Collection in the south will transform the landscape for the Treasury Department and enhance the government’s payment services. Vendors who have provided services to the government will have three locations, Castries, Vieux Fort and Soufriere where they can collect their cheque payments. Payment delays will be significantly reduced and in some instances eliminated but will be more convenient for many people. Thus beginning in December 2022 the Treasury Department will commence the printing of cheques at the Soufriere and Vieux Fort Sub-Accountant Offices. The staff have already been trained and are ready to deliver on this promise as well as technical requirements are all in place for a smooth transition.”
Director of Finance, Imran Williams highlighted that this initiative not only builds resilience within the government’s payment system but creates greater inclusion for the population. He also proposed a challenge to the Treasury Department.
“Most forms of payment, in the advanced countries, and he did speak to it to his credit, we’re now dealing with electronic funds transfer, direct deposits into bank accounts. So, now we have to start thinking, now that we have removed the risk in the system we can even go a step further to make it more efficient. We can now try to encourage, let’s not say force or mandate, encourage most persons that interact business with the government at the very minimum to enter the banking system by way of a credit union, or bank account. We now have D-Cash coming on stream. We have electronic wallets. Once you do that you realize that you can, even get rid of the printing of cheques and deal with your direct deposits.”
Minister for Commerce and Parliamentary Representative for Soufriere, Hon. Emma Hippolyte acknowledged the obvious direct benefit to her constituents and further stated that such initiatives are part of the government’s thrust to improve competitiveness and the ease of doing business in Saint Lucia.
“We promised to remove the impediments to transacting business and we continue to deliver and will not stop until Saint Lucia becomes the number one in the region for transacting business.”
Hon. Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, Parliamentary Representative for Vieux Fort South, though applauding the micro payments initiative called for greater attention to be focused on the decentralization of government services to foster increased social inclusion and equity in the provision of government services.
“In a sense, this service here is long overdue. As much as I compliment the Treasury Department and the Accountant General’s Office, I congratulate them, let’s face an inconvenient truth, it’s long overdue. It should have happened a long time ago but you know what sometimes, as the Accountant General indicated change is difficult and complicated and we create artificial barriers as to why we should not do things, why we should not make a difference, or why we should not change things. It really requires a fundamental change in the mindset of those who manage our affairs and those who manage our businesses, those who manage the delivery of services emanating from the government.”
Also endorsing the initiative was Parliamentary Representative for Choiseul/Saltibus, Hon. Bradley Felix and Cyprian Lansiquot representing Hon. Wayne Girard Parliamentary Representative for Anse La Raye Canaries.
The Micro Payment Convenient Cheque Collection will commence on December 1st at the Soufriere Sub-Office and on December 8th at the Sub-Office in Vieux Fort. Cheques valued at $50,000 and below can be printed on demand at these Sub Offices.