WILLEMSTAD - The Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS) and the Girobank NV announce that today, Friday 13 December, the branches of the Girobank, with the exception of Zuikertuin Mall, will open again and the ATMs will be put into operation. The branches work with adjusted opening hours from 8AM to 3.30PM and on Saturdays from 9AM to 3.30PM. The regular opening times are effective again from Monday 16 December. The online banking system has been available again since last night.

The CBCS has frozen all the funds that were in Girobank's accounts at the end of the day on Tuesday 10 December, whereby each Girobank customer can have a maximum of NAF 10,000 in his or her credit. In addition, the customer has the free disposal of all amounts deposited after the moratorium has been set.

CBCS points out the risks of large sums of cash and therefore advises depositors not to withdraw all their assets in cash. It is safer to do transactions via internet banking. Please note that for online transfers the funds will only be available on Monday 16 December. For withdrawing US dollars, customers can only go to the Girobank branch in Scharloo.

Be aware that when too many people use the services of the Girobank at the same time, this may have consequences for the operations and in the worst-case scenario can even cause malfunctions. For that reason, CBCS invites Giro Bank customers not to use the bank’s services in a manner that is not normal.