TOMORROW morning when the banks are due to re-open there will be an extra 180 licensed private security guards making sure there are no outbreaks of violence. According to a member of police, they have also been put on alert to be extra vigilant outside the island’s banks.
Private security firm G4S is responding to extra demand by the banks by posting an extra 180 of its employees both outside and inside branches from tomorrow until order is restored to the banking sector.
“Our purpose, in close co-operation with the police, is to keep order and to help bank employees,” managing director of G4S security solutions John Arghyrou told the Cyprus Mail. The extra security guards who will be posted are current employees who will work some extra days and hours to meet the needs of the bank, Arghyrou said.
He added that his firm was in constant contact with the police and that he believes they have taken the necessary measures to ensure there will be no trouble inside or outside any banks come tomorrow.
“Because of the growing uncertainty over the whole sector and over people’s deposits we have had to increase the amount of security at banks, as understandably, banks want to protect their property,” he said.
As well as offering transportation and protection services G4S also provides a vaulting facility which allows both private and commercial customers to place any amount of cash or valuables in a safe storage facility. “We have had a slight increase recently with current events in the amount of customers using our vaulting facility,” Arghyrou said. He revealed the facility is guarded at all times by armed police.
“We run a big operation on the island, employing 750 people and we have been working round the clock since the banks closed last week,” he added.
The Popular Bank will be taking every possible measure to prevent any disruptions and disturbances at its branches once they re-open. “One of the first things we discussed about our re-opening was people’s reaction and so we have spoken to the police and security firms to ensure order is kept at our branches island-wide,” Popular Bank spokesman Costas Archimandrites said. He added that measures will be purely preventative in the hope that customers will show respect and understanding towards bank employees. “We hope people understand the whole situation is not the employees’ fault and understand that the employees too face an uncertain future,” he said. Police spokesman Andreas Angelides was unable to comment on the situation.

Cyprus Mail