New lockdown:
Continuity of service
After 9 months, Mauritius went back into lockdown on 10 March 2021. Banks, as an essential service, remained open (as per MBA Protocol for banks), and ensured continuity of service to the public and corporates. Some of the measures implemented by banks during the confinement include the suspension of ATM fees for the duration of confinement, to help ensure the public has access to cash. The MBA has helped coordinate Work Access Permits (WAPs), and, with experience acquired during the last lockdown, a relatively smooth transition for banks.
Banks operating in Red Zone
Further to the designation of specific regions as ‘Red Zones’ with access restrictions during the lockdown on 10 March 2021, banks organised themselves within a few days to maintain the provision of ATM services, and open a small number of branches in that area, staffed by employees residing in the Red Zone. Exceptionally, two banks very rapidly deployed ATMs to other Red Zones, in order to ensure that the public in those regions have access to cash at all times – MCB in the village of Canot, and SBM at the village of Dubreuil; with the strong support of the Bank of Mauritius and Government authorities.
Vaccination campaign
As an essential service, bank employees have been requested to work in the frontline during confinement, and Banks have participated in the National Vaccination campaign. The MBA worked through the public holiday week-end to coordinate the vaccination programme for banks with Business Mauritius, the Ministry of Health and the Economic Development Board. Approximately 1,900 frontliners have been vaccinated to date, and our work is ongoing. Banks support the Government objective to vaccinate the population and achieve herd immunity, so that we may safely learn to live with the virus.