National Bank Begins Country Tour in Dangriga

The National Bank has launched an outreach campaign to meet with potential customers in their own communities. The first stop this week was in Dangriga. Area Representative Louis Zabanneh says it was a productive meeting with members of the constituency, providing an opportunity for small and micro businesses to get the information they need to help their businesses grow.  Among those who attended was the owner of the Stone Crab Bar & Grill, Timothy August. He recently got help from the National Bank for his latest venture, “Obeah Sauce.”

Louis Zabanneh

Louis Zabanneh, Area Representative

“So we invited business people, various sizes of businesses, from micro entrepreneurs all the way up to the larger businesses in this constituency. The National Bank gave them a presentation about all the services they offer, about their new e-wallet product, and there was a very active engagement question and answer period in which the National Bank was able to explain how they go about giving out loans, what their interest rates are, the kinds of things they do with refinancing etc. So it was a very educational event and they also met one-one-one with the micro-entrepreneurs to look at the kinds of businesses that the people want to start here in Dangriga.”

Timothy August

Timothy August, Producer “Obeah Sauce” 

“Had closed down my business in 2018 and back in 2019, early 2020. I was looking for finance to re-start and I approached all the other institutions and the only one that gave me some real hope was the National Bank. There I met Mr. Ralph Castillo, who was very genuine and told me that I had no history and I had nothing to show that my background and everything in business and for the last two years or so. He advised me to go back and try to… he gave me a list of what the Bank needed, the criteria to be able to qualify for a small loan. And so last year October, I took that list and came back home and startling bottling the sauce that we make. I did that for three months and I started selling only 45 bottles a week and I started depositing every dollar and after three months I went back and I made an application and they were happy with it, they tested the product, they thought it was a good product. Today I am up to 250 bottles a week and I am about looking to go back into the bank, pretty shortly, to back to the bank shortly for expansion, distribution and manufacturing.”