Should The Bankers Be Paid Yet More Bonuses?
There was yet another shock for the UK banking sector on Friday with the Lloyds Banking group making a statement stating that their losses are likely to be in the region on ten billion, yes ten billion! I keep reading that there is a good chance that the top brass of the banking sector workers are still going to receive their bonus. So how can this be? Talk about rewarding failure. So is this acceptable? During this article I will be providing my own thoughts on this very hot topic.
At the outset I would like to make it clear that I do not work in the banking sector; I am in fact a stuttering therapy speech coach and I am also involved with projects to do with cost reduction consultants and online guitar lessons for beginners.
I remember the days when you could seemingly fully trust your bank with your money and when they were also a good form of investment. Their management were always the most respected of businessmen who would be prudent with their financial transactions. This is no longer the case. I have to say that I always grew up with the belief that our banks were safe and that they were prudent. I had a hell of a lot of respect for the people who ran these organisations and at one stage I even thought about trying to gain employment within the banking sector. All of that respect has now been washed away as we all become aware of just how much they have been gambling with our money. Instead of seeking long term sustainable growth they have become “short termist” which is a characteristic of a very poor and often desperate investor. I am sure that my own personal adviser once stated to me that this investment (I had just signed up for a stocks and shares ISA) should be seen as a long term investment, how ironic is that. This adviser worked for the then Lloyds Bank, now known as the Lloyds Banking Group, it is a shame that their senior management did not practice what they preach.
I was watching, with interest, the main men from these banks apologising on the television last week. It was pitiful, they were eager for our forgiveness and pointed out that they had learned from their mistakes and that it would never happen again. So should we forgive and forget? Well would they forgive you if you missed a payment on your mortgage? Would they be happy to let you off if you went over your overdraft limit? I very much doubt it; they are far more likely to commence some for of charging structure and ultimately could even attempt to repossess your house. But what if you apologised and stated that you had learnt from your previous mistakes etc? It would make absolutely no difference!
As for their bonuses, there is no way that they should be paid any form of bonus. They have failed, they have let down their shareholders, they have let down many small businesses, they have let down the whole country. They should be ashamed of themselves.
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