Some level of common sense, please

THE EDITOR: At the time I attended college (I am now 80 years old) there was a certain pride about the standard of education we were exposed to in Trinidad. However, a recent incident has caused me to doubt the intelligence that now seems prevalent among this working generation.

Years ago, my wife applied for a credit card and being a good wife she got me a card for that same account. Recently, I went to a branch of the bank, presented my card and asked for the balance in order to see if I could pay it off.

The teller, with a smile, pleasantly told me she could not do that because I was not the primary card holder. I then argued that I could withdraw money from the account or I could pay into the account, so why could I not know the balance owing on the account.

At that point she referred me to a supervisor who came and reinforced the order that she could not tell me the balance. After I argued some more, the supervisor directed me to a machine in a corner and advised that I could use that equipment to obtain the balance owing on the account.

Am I the only person in Trinidad to find that procedure to be totally idiotic. If I am able to get the balance from the machine, why can I not get it from the teller?

Please, can we begin to show some level of common sense?

RICHARD DEANE

Diego Martin