Did you say e-banking?

On-line banking is the latest service on offer at Seychelles’ oldest banking institution, Barclays Bank.

Although this service is not at all new in Barclays Group and the banking world, for the moment it will only be available to the bank’s “top customers.”

Barclays Bank (Seychelles) says that through ongoing research they have found the desire to upgrade the services they offer as a modern international bank for the benefit of their customers and the community in which they operates.

“Internet banking will provide a web-based solution that gives our corporate customers more control over their transaction banking, namely the ability to manage their accounts anytime and anywhere in the world,” according to the Managing Director of Barclays (Seychelles) Frank Hoareau.

On-line banking follows the introduction of offshore banking some 12 months ago.

Since the 1st of this month, over 600 overseas clients of Barclays Bank (Seychelles) who have accounts with the bank here are being able to use the Internet to transfer funds in rupees to accounts in other banks based here.

“This will save them the trouble of having to write letters to Seychelles to transfer the money, and they will also be able to view the statements of their accounts from overseas, rather than wait for them to be mailed from Seychelles,” explains Mr Hoareau.

Barclays Bank (Seychelles) says it hopes to be able to offer similar services involving transactions in the foreign exchange starting in October this year in line with whatever Central Bank regulations will be place then.

The service was launched during the recent visit of the Chief executive officer of Barclays Africa and Indian Ocean, Dominic Bruynseels.