Puerto Aventuras, Q.R. — Several social leaders in Puerto Aventuras say a feasibility study is required to yield real data regarding the need for financial institutions.
Tomas Flores Benítez, a delegate from Puerto Aventuras, says the town only has three ATMs, one of which has not worked for months, therefore, creating the urgency for a financial institution. He says the development in Puerto Aventuras has caused the lack of banking and financial institutions to be built.
“Most of the workers are in the hotel industry and we have three ATMs and they break down and it becomes a problem,” he said adding that, “sometimes there is only one (ATM) and the lines are long to withdraw money.”
Flores Benítez explained that Puerto Aventuras residents have to travel 20 kilometers (in each direction) to Playa del Carmen to do their banking, whether it is to make a deposit or renew a debit card.
He noted that the three ATMs in Puerto Aventuras are distributed, one in the convenience store next to the only gas station, while the other two are in the two shopping centers. Each ATM belongs to a different banking institution.
“The problem is that the cards are taken out in Playa del Carmen, so we want a bank with facilities so that people can bank locally and not have to travel to Playa. It is 20 kilometres in addition to the time.”
Flores Benítez says that he believes banking institutions would be successful in Puerto Aventuras, but to date, no one has approached with a feasibility study.
“The people have asked us to make the request through the delegation, and if we do, it would bring us closer to having the study done. It would be a good option to find out the real need,” he said.
