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Bank of Valletta inaugurates Bugibba branch
Bank of Valletta has officially inaugurated a Bugibba branch, situated in Triq il-Halel.
The new branch, BOV said, represents its commitment to offer an improved level of service and “has been designed to reflect Bank of Valletta’s brand standards where customers will get a personalized service in a private and friendly environment.”
The Branch was inaugurated by the Finance Minster Tonio Fenech, in the presence of BOV Chairman Roderick Chalmers, and BOV CEO Tonio Depasquale.
Speaking during the event, Fenech said banks carry an important social responsibility and remarked that Maltese banks have always adopted a prudent approach. As a result, he said,the Maltese banking system proved to be resilient particularly during the international financial crisis.
This factor is an important contributor to the country’s competitiveness, which is essential in our efforts to attract more investment and jobs to our shores, Fenech added.
In his own address, Depasquale said “the €1.7 million invested in this branch clearly demonstrates the Bank’s drive to work closer to the Maltese Community and to provide an efficient service as outlined in our Brand Promise, strengthening our commitment to the success of our clients. In addition, this year the Bank will be making a capital expenditure of €13 million towards upgraded IT systems.”
“Our branches remain our most important service delivery channel largely due to their accessibility to our clients,” he added. “Every development made is based on the latest and most advanced technology to strengthen the service provided by our branch network rather than to substitute it.”
Saying that clients remains at the core of all of BOV’s activities, he added that “we consistently upgrade all our customer-facing processes. For this reason we reiterate our commitment to provide the highest quality customer service while rendering a personalized service to all our clients. This is the objective of today’s inauguration.”
The new BOV branch in Bugibba is open to the public as from Friday 14, January 2011 and is managed by Claudia Chetcuti.
The branch was also blessed by Bugibba parish priest Fr Christopher Galdes.
Anthony Haidon •
Remember Shakepeare's Julius Caesar wherein he describes Brutus stab wound on Caesar as 'the most unkindest cut of all' because Brutus was supposed to be an honourable man? My twenty-first century 'unkindest cut' is the fact that not only have the Ministers taken an out-of-proportion increase in salary but they backdated this to roughly the beginning of the global financial crisis when the golden rule has always been to hold back and not to squander money. Most people are incredulous, I, personally, think it's disgusting. There is a rumour going round that the electorate will look back in anger on the day of reckoning-- I know I shall. But one stab wound is not enough. Seeing the Minister collaborating with the BOV Directors at a time when this bank is under investigation for allegedly mismanaging the La Vallette Property Fund is yet another stab wound. But what can one expect? After all the Government holds what is considered by many to be an irregular but very substantial shareholding in the bank. This country is being bled to death. Europe please help us. Mr.Ugolini, please come back and this time listen to the investors' srories.
Lawrence Cutajar •
How could Minister Tonio Borg go hobnobbing with the likes of the topmost mismanagement officials of the BOV to inaugurate the Bugibba branchThey have shrunk our hard earned penshion money, and we see them happily beaming their big smiles that can take a banana sidewaysbecause they still have their money but we don't.
Felic
Toninu •
Minister Tonio Fenech is being so insensitive being photographed alongside BOV Chairman Roderick Chalmers while inaugurating the new BOV Branch. Everybody is all smiles while we, the investors of the BOV Property Fund are still hugging our massive losses. Minister Fenech should be embarrassed to be seen with the Chairman of BOV whilst the investigation by the MFSA is still ongoing re the misappropriation of millions of euros regarding the BOV Property Fund. Minister Fenech is choosing to disregard the serious allegations that the BOV Chairman issued false Custodian Reports regarding this Fund. We are still expecting our investment to be refunded.
Mark Fenech •
It appears the Hon. Minister was not one of the shareholders of the Bank of Valletta Property Fund, as otherwise he would have been sensitive enough not to go for this activity.
The Hon. Minister should have stayed away and not grace Bank of Valletta 's Chairman and CEO with his presence, when the Bank of Valletta through its Property Fund has made its shareholders, most of them pensioners like the undersigned, who lost their savings because Bank of Valletta were not diligent enough and did not adhere to the prospectus of the Property Fund itself.
I am sure the Hon. Minister knows about the current litigations going on against the Bank of Valletta, by the shareholders of their Property Fund.
But Minister Fenech seems to be totally insensitive of the huge sufferings being felt by the whole maltese population on other issues, for he has raised his salary by €600 weekly with arrears from May 2008.
Come on Minister Fenech show yourself with the man in the street who has elected you.
owen sammut •
In my view it is not ethically correct that a Minister opens a branch of a bank (in this case BOV) undergoing a regulatory investigation by the Malta Financial Services Authority on serious wrong-doings in the way the Bank administered (or shall we say maladministered ?) the much talked about Property Fund, that has ruined its investors. There are very serious allegations against BOV which have not yet been answered to at the Courts or by MFSA.
Is anyone accountable in this country and when will the investigation by MFSA be ready?
Alfred Galea •
Only in Malta would a minister of finance inaugurate a branch of a local bank. And then between him and the CEO spew out a bunch of bullshit about what nice guys they are.
And of course the obligatory blessing by the priest.
