HAITI: Tension is high as frustrated Haitians wait in long lines at banks, hoping to withdraw some cash

Record ID: 562488

  • Title: HAITI: Tension is high as frustrated Haitians wait in long lines at banks, hoping to withdraw some cash
  • Date: 31st January 2010
  • Summary: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (JANUARY 29, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SECURITY GUARDS MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF BANK LINES MEN IN BANK LINE SHOUTING AT EACH OTHER SECURITY GUARD MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF BANK LINES VARIOUS OF LINES OUTSIDE OF BANK (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED HAITIAN IN BANK LINE SAYING: "It's not the reason of being afraid to keep it but we need money to use for the time being. We just need money to use. So I'm going to take a part and leave the other part. I'm not going to take the whole, just a part to use. That's what I'm going to do." PEOPLE IN LINE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED HAITIAN IN BANK LINE SAYING: "There is another thing that you should know. If you have money, if you take it all, it's going to be a little problem because if you take it all - I'm thinking about myself - my house is completely broken. If I take the money, where can I put it? This is the other problem. As I told you, I take a part and then use it. If I finish to use it and need another part, I will get back and then take it. This is my point of view." VARIOUS OF LINE OUTSIDE OF BANK GUARD OPENING GATE TO LET PEOPLE IN
  • Embargoed: 15th February 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Haiti
  • Country: Haiti
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVAAAZZUZJW6SXO5GDTV0YCNNC7V
  • Story Text: Frustration mounted on Friday (January 29) among residents waiting in long lines outside a Sogebank branch in downtown Port-au-Prince.
    Dozens queued up outside of the bank, hoping to withdraw some cash, impatience growing as security guards let in a few patrons at a time.
    Tension was high as people jostled each other and shouted as they waited. At times, bank security guards intervened and escorted people away from the line.
    One man said he was not particularly concerned about the security of his money within the bank.
    "It's not the reason of being afraid to keep it, but we need money to use for the time being. We just need money to use. So I'm going to take a part and leave the other part. I'm not going to take the whole, just a part to use. That's what I'm going to do," he said.
    He added that it wouldn't be prudent to withdraw it all at once.
    "There is another thing that you should know. If you have money, if you take all, it's going to be a little problem because if you take all - I'm thinking about myself - my house is completely broken. If I take the money, where can I put it? This is the other problem. As I told you, I take a part and then use it. If I finish to use it and need another part, I will get back and then take it. This is my point of view," he said.
    Banks in Haiti began reopening the week following the earthquake in an effort to get the country's shattered economy back on its feet.
    The signs of tension come after bouts of unrest broke out recently amid various food distributions.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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