NBS records $380M profit

Nov 13, 2009 News

– earns $120M from Berbice Bridge investment

– reassures that society is sound

The New Building Society (NBS) has recorded $380M profit as at September 30, 2009, as compared to $197M made for the corresponding period last year, according to unaudited figures.
It is the highest profit ever of NBS, the society said.
In a full page advertisement yesterday in the Kaieteur News, the society in a statement on its state of affairs also said that because of government’s aggressive housing drive, “NBS alone cannot meet the demands of the borrowing public. The government’s decision to give tax incentives similar to NBS to other financial institutions is a positive step and should be commended instead of being criticized.”
According to the Board of Directors, the society will not be distracted by a half a dozen disgruntled persons. “Our members can be assured of the soundness of the NBS, as it continues to support the national housing and development thrust.”
Performance
Total interest income earned increased 5% to $1.6B while the saving portfolio increased from $30.4B to $32B, 5.5% increase from the previous year.
“The mortgage portfolio grew by 15% over the last year moving from $18B to $20.9B representing 56% of total assets (2008 – 7% and 51% respectively).”
NBS noted that in January, the society’s mortgage rates were reduced from 7.5% to 6.95% for mortgages up to $8M and from 5.5% to 4.95% for mortgages up to $3M. This was while NBS still managed to keep its savings rates as high as 4.5%, the advertisement said.
Gross mortgages advances disbursed for the period was $4.7B as against $3.2B for the corresponding period last year, a jump of 45%. NBS’s total assets grew by 6% to $37.4B.
According to the society, monies in the form of cash and treasury bills at the commercial banks and Bank of Guyana totaled $12.35B, representing 33% of total assets or 39% of members’ funds. In terms of investments, NBS had $746M of UK Government Guaranteed Treasury Stocks while holding $1.8B in bonds for the Berbice River Bridge.
The report noted that NBS’s investments in the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. (BBCI) earn interest at an average rate of 9.6% per annum, way above all other investments of the society.
Berbice Bridge
“All interest earned and payable by the BBCI totaling $120M was received by the society. If we were to earn the same amount in interest as that obtained with the BBCI, the society would have had to invest in excess of $4.3B in Government of Guyana Treasury Bills or at any private bank.
The Bridge investment, which is private sector driven, is as sound and safe as any other of our investments. Criticisms against this investment can only come from a sick and frustrated mind.”
According to NBS, the total reserves were $5.2B as at September 30, 2009, an increase of 10% over the previous year and is 14% of total assets or 16% of investors’ funds. These ratios are among the highest in the industry and give protection to our investing members,” NBS pointed out in the report.
Meanwhile, NBS said that it decided to publish the un-audited financial statements for the benefit of its members and “to bring an end to unfounded speculations.”
The society noted that it deliberately did not respond to “wicked and reckless statements made recently in certain sections of the press.”
“We strongly believe that a financial institution should ensure its business transactions remain strictly confidential and within its membership or shareholders.”
Last week, President Bharrat Jagdeo had announced that NBS has reached its limit and can no longer handle the demand of mortgages in Guyana.
In a strongly worded response to this, accountant Christopher Ram, who in recent times has been a harsh critic of the operations at NBS, said that the President’s statements were astounding, in light of that fact the entity only “ten months ago had more than $10 billion in highly liquid Treasury Bills alone.”
“Remember as well, that loans are not the only transaction that consumes funds in the NBS. The near billion-dollar head office under construction and the attempt by the NBS to bail out CLICO with the purchase of $1.5 billion in shares in the Berbice River Bridge from which only annual interest is received can easily create a liquidity problem. The President’s remarks about the NBS suggest that that is the case.”
Worse yet, Ram said, if depositors lose confidence in the safety of their money in the NBS, they will start withdrawing their money which can lead to a run on the institution. “That is the worst possible scenario which the President’s ill-phrased and irresponsible announcement can trigger. The President’s message is that the NBS will lose the competitive advantage it had over commercial banks. This will inevitably affect the NBS’s financial performance in future periods.”
According to Ram, NBS is being “terribly managed with a totally political board and a staff that are intimidated and de-motivated.”
A senior NBS official explained that under its regulations, the society is not allowed to issue more than 66 per cent of its total deposits to mortgages.
With the huge demand for mortgages in recent years because of new housing schemes, among other factors, NBS has almost reached that 66 per cent limit.
The society is still accepting mortgage applications but approvals are taking some time.
Explaining, the official said that repayments are coming in, but not fast enough to cater for the huge demand.
In addition, several applicants have been issued with approval letters but many have not visited NBS to complete the mortgage process.
“So what we have is a number of approvals and we have to cater for that.”