GraceKennedy celebrates new WU location at Eastern Avenue

By Christopher Tobutt

GraceKennedy Money Services (GKMS), opened their eighth branch of Western Union in the Cayman Islands, at the Convenience Shop Y Mas at 171 Eastern Avenue, George Town recently, amid much celebration and fanfare. It’s great news for all the people from other countries living in the middle of George Town because now they have one more convenient location which they can use to send money home to take care of their families and loved-ones.

GraceKennedy Money Services (GKMS) Country Manager for Cayman, Annalise Harewood, said that its newest location “Is part of the Company’s strategic push to grow its footprint across the region, and GKMS has the largest network of Western Union locations in Jamaica, and we plan to replicate that wherever we operate the franchise.” She added, “With Western Union found in more than 200 countries across the world, we want to make sure we give options to our customers in Cayman, so they will always be able to find a location close to them to send money back home to Jamaica, The Philippines, Honduras or wherever in the world their receiver is located.”

Business Network Officer, Diandra Shand-Ogbe said, “This location is central and is in the heart of one of the more bustling areas in Grand Cayman thereby giving customers residing or conducting business in this area a convenient place to send or receive money from their loved ones. Many of our customers have to care for their families back home, whether it’s Jamaica or the The Philippines or even those with children studying in places like the United Kingdom, and they rely on the services we offer to provide their families with financial support.”

GKMS always aims to put customer needs first, and Mrs. Shand-Ogbe explained that there are now various services customers can choose for added safety and convenience, “Our ‘Money-in-Minutes’ enables funds to be available within minutes of the transaction being sent. Many people use this option, especially if the need is urgent. With the ‘Next-Day’ service cash can be picked up within 24- hours from the time the money was sent. Another popular service is our ‘Direct To Bank’ which enables customers to send money directly to their bank account or to their recipient’s bank account. For Jamaica, specifically, the funds are deposited within 24-hours and this service extends to all the major commercial banks. This amenity is very useful especially during this pandemic and us having to be socially distant. People do not have to leave the comfort of their homes or wait in line to pick up their money, and it is a service which fits right in line with GraceKennedy’s aim to not only be efficient and reliable but safe, too. And our rates are very competitive, with no hidden fees.” Mrs. Shand-Ogbe said.

The store on Eastern Avenue is also the first of the company’s locations in Cayman to open on a Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. as well as Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Alex Gordon, the Company’s Compliance Officer was equally excited about the new location and said, “The new facility offers added convenience for customers to send and receive money, and all our requirements for compliance are in-line with the Cayman Islands government regulations.”

The eighth GKMS location in Cayman officially opened on Friday, October 8 with much fanfare and giveaways.

Among the attendees at the opening ceremony were Honorary Vice Consul to Jamaica, Elaine Harris, Arturo Ursua, Honorary Consul to The Philippines, and Convenience Shop Y Mas owner, Matthew Tibbetts.