Originally posted on Jamaica Observer
MONTEGO BAY, St James — The thrust by Gateway Co-operative Credit Union — which boast assets in excess of $7.5 billion — to roll out cutting-edge technology for the delivery of products and services such as online banking and online ATM is nearly 90 per cent completed
Gateway Cooperative Credit Union is celebrating its first year in operation, having started in January 17 last year due to a merger of the Hanover Cooperative Credit Union and Montego Cooperative Credit Union.
Gateway Co-operative Credit Union technology services build-out near completion disclosed that in another year or so, the new wave of technology will be available to its over 64,000 members.
“Gateway is on a path to build out cutting-edge technology in delivering products and services to our members in a more efficient way. So you are talking about our online banking, our online ATM services; that's the kind of progress we are making and we are looking forward to,” Bedasse disclosed.
“We have already embarked on it, I would say we are about 85 per cent there so in another year or two all that will be built out and we hope that it will serve our members better.”
He was speaking to the Jamaica Observer following the credit union's annual scholarship and bursary awards ceremony held at the Grandiosa Hotel in Montego Bay last week.
He explained that the co-operative, which enjoys savings in excess of $5.3 billion and $4.6 billion in loans, is also on a mission to mould young minds.
“It's our annual scholarship and bursary awards — we have been doing it for 25 years now — so we try to assist the needy students in our community. Gateway operates within the community and we are giving back to the community. I think it is important not only in terms of giving back, but to assist the education process in terms of nurturing our young children. They are the future leaders and we want to play our part in getting them ready for leadership,” Bedasse declared.
During last week's function, the credit union provided some $750,000 in scholarships and bursaries to more than 16 students who were successful in their Grade Six Achievement Test, bringing to $7 million in scholarships and bursaries provided to 375 students from the county of Cornwall over the past 25 years.
The financial institution also put in over $1.5 million in sponsorship for this year's staging of the Gateway Schools Academic Championship Quiz competition for primary schools earlier this year.
Horace Hines