The Following is a letter from a customer sent to General Manager Suzannie Chambers, CIBC - May 1, 2026
I opened a savings account at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), now FirstCaribbean International Bank, Half-Way-Tree, in 1977. I have always updated my personal information at the bank whenever I visit or when it is requested by the bank via email. One of those visits, I checked to see that my beneficiary’s information was on file. It wasn’t. When I migrated to the USA, my spouse’s information was on my account. I tried on at least three occasions to have the updates done. Frustrated, we gave up and decided to put one of my sons on it instead.
My son and I went to the bank in December 2025. Everything for me was fine. However, I couldn't add my son as despite him being a businessman and he had his tax returns, driver's license, passport, TRN, we were told that he needed to show proof of his income. He asked for a list of everything they required. We flew back home and he prepared all the documents. I returned to Jamaica on April 27th, and I invited my son to take the trip so I could get him on my account. The rep. took my IDs and, the paperwork from my son and said she would be right back. We waited for about 15 minutes before she returned. She told me that they needed to verify my address and income. I reminded her that I had done that in December. She left again, returned, and left again about four times. She asked if I had the email that I had sent to their rep. in November as that rep. is now retired and she couldn’t locate the email with my income documents attached. This same rep. had verified my income information in December 2025.
I requested to speak with her manager. It was like pulling teeth before the rep. left and a man came. I don't recall him introducing himself. It was more like 'how can I help you." He gave me the same cock and bull story. I wasted hours at this worthless institution. My son insisted that I closed the account. They were like just join the teller line and do so. Really? I have a substantial portfolio with this bank.
Which begs the question, are Jamaicans void of common sense? Seriously. I am a retired police supervisor from Jamaica and the USA, I am an internationally known poet, I have represented Jamaica in festival all over the world, I am well known and established in the Jamaican Diaspora - served in many roles; even volunteered and worked for the Jamaican Consulate General in Miami, after retirement, and I can't add my son or my wife to my own bank account that I opened 49 years ago. The bureaucracy is so thick that it's stifling the life out of our country. And, there is no consideration for Jamaicans who resides overseas. One cannot start a file and return to finish something - you must come back. The cost is on you. They don't care less. I need to have this addressed ASAP.
Best regards,
Malachi Smith
Editor's Note
You need to find another bank in Jamaica, and if you cannot find another bank in Jamaica that suits you, you might have to arrange to have your funds transferred overseas.
You identified a challenge with using an email address for a retired employee. Your communication with the bank should not be by email, which is used by an employee. Your messages should be attached to your account so that anyone reviewing your account would be able to see your correspondence.
So all the correspondence with a retired staff member is like it has gone up in flames. Amazing.
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First thing, make sure that your money is still there. Any time you them going around like that, especially if they tell you that your account is dormant, someone has been dipping in your money, and they are in a panic mode.
ReplyDeleteI went to one institution that told me that they thought that I was dead and I had to bring proof that I was me. They eventually told me that my money was there and I could take it if I wanted to.