Transforming Public Sector Banks

Session II: Good Public Banks/Bad Public banks

Presentation by

Mr. A.S. Jayawardena

Governor

Central Bank of Sri Lanka

Introduction

1. “Good” and “Bad” public (or even private) banks in competitive situations need careful definition.

2. Public perception is that good banks earn financial profits; the profits grow over time; their capital is strengthened; they expand their business; their business is conducted prudently

3. Public sector banks are also expected to undertake social obligations, not usually borne by private sector banks.

4. They are also subject to government patronage, and tend to be bureaucratic and inflexible.

5. Financial profitability important for deposit raising banks.

2. The Background

1832 - Ceylon Savings Bank (CSB)

1885 - Post Office Savings Bank (POSB)

1931 - State Mortgage Bank (SMB)

1939 - Bank of Ceylon – nationalised 1961 (BOC)

1944 - Agricultural & Industrial Credit Corporation (AICC)

1955 - Development Finance Corporation (DFCC)

1961 - Peoples Bank (PB)

1971 - National Savings Bank (NSB) – CSB + POSB

1979 - National Development Bank (NDB)

1995 - Regional Development Banks (5) merging 17 Regional Rural Development Banks (RDB)

3. Commercial Bank Expansion: BOC and PB, Two public sector commercial banks expanded strongly since 1970s

1970 1980 2002

Branches

Public

Private

148

17

432

55

606

368

Employment

Public

Private

4510

n.a.

16,772

n.a.

19,626

14,409

Assets (Rs. Mn.)

Public

Private

2,338

784

18 620

7,981

386,032

401,994

Deposits (Rs. Mn.)

Public

Private

1,752

642

13,348

3,943

278,503

294,725

Loans (Rs. Mn.)

Public

Private

1,064

484

12,070

4,930

167,326

216,600

4. Assets of Financial Institutions

Commercial banks (50%) and investment (development) banks (11%) dominate.

BOC and PB account for 29% along with NSB (9%) and SMIB (1%, public sector banks account for 52% of financial system assets – 55% of GDP.

By 1980, public sector bank’s share was over 80 percent.

Despite declining share, public sector banks accounted for two-thirds of loans by 1990.

5. Capital Ratios and Non-performing Loans

Non-performing loans of public commercial banks continuously and consistently higher than that of private domestic banks, much higher than that of foreign banks.

Average interest spread between borrowing and lending rates around 6 percentage points in the State banks.

Other commercial banks tended to follow in setting interest rates, while engaging on non-interest rate competition.

High interest rates discouraged investment.

Table 2: Assests of Financial Institutions

Institution Rs.Bn. %

Central Bank of Sri Lanka 304 14.6

Institutions Supervised by the Central Bank

Deposit-Taking Institutions 1,224 62.8

Licensed Commercial Banks 942 49.6

State Banks 466 28.5

Domestic Private Bank 356 14.9

Local Branches of Foreign Banks 120 6.2

Licensed Specialised Banks 241 11.4

Registered Finance Companies 41 1.8

Other Institutions 351 14.7

Employees’ Provident Fund 315 12.9

Primary Dealers 22 1.1

Leasing Establishments 15 0.7

Group Total 1,574 77.5

Institutions not Supervised by the Central Bank

Deposit-Taking Institutions 20 1.0

Co-operative Rural Banks 15 0.8

Thrift and Credit Co-operative Societies 5 0.2

Contractual Savings Institutions 122 5.6

Approved Private Provident Funds 46 2.3

Employees’ Trust Fund 41 1.8

Insurance Institutions 35 1.6

Other Specialised Financial Institutions 28 1.3

Merchant Banks 16 0.8

HDFC Sri Lanka Bank 5 0.2

Venture Capital Companies 3 0.1

Unit Trusts 4 0.1

Group Total 170 7.9

Total Assets 2,050 100.0

Table 3: Sri Lanka: Reported Capital Ratios and Loan Quality in Banks, 1996-2001 (In percent)

1996 1997 1998 1999 20002001Est.

Core capital ratio(min.4 percent) 1/ State commercial banks 10.1 8.0 8.2 3.7 2.3 -0.4

Private domestic banks 10.2 10.1 10.1 9.9 10.3 9.4

Foreign banks 13.3 15.5 14.2 15.6 14.1 16.1

All commercial banks 10.5 9.7 9.7 7.8 7.3 4.8

Specialized banks --- --- 19.6 18.5 28.4 …

Risk-weighted total capital ratio(min. 9 per cent) State commercial banks 10.7 10.5 8.6 8.8 4.3 0.1

Private domestic banks 11.8 11.0 12.5 12.2 11.4 10.4

Foreign banks 13.8 13.1 13.9 12.5 12.5 16.0

All commercial banks 11.5 11.0 10.7 10.6 8.3 7.8

Specialized banks … … … 18.2 17.3 23.4

NPLs/Total advances State commercial banks 18.9 20.2 19.5 18.3 15.4 18.2

Private domestic banks 12.0 12.4 13.4 15.9 14.9 15.7

Foreign banks 8.3 10.4 12.7 10.7 12.7 13.2

All commercial banks 15.4 16.4 16.6 16.6 15.0 16.9

Total advances (percent annual growth) State commercial banks … 9.7 13.0 11.9 19.3 10.3

Private domestic banks … 23.0 22.8 20.8 20.7 13.8

Foreign banks … 6.7 -0.3 15.3 -1.6 -5.7

All commercial banks … 13.2 14.4 15.4 17.4 10.1

6. Banking Reforms 1. Recapitalisation of Public Commercial Banks

1993 – Rs. 24 billion – 30 year non-redeemable bonds at 12% interest. Banks issue shares

to government.

1996 – Rs. 19 billion – 12 year non-redeemable bonds at 14% interest.

Helped meet capital adequacy – not liquidity – Implicit dividend to government deducted from interest.

Memoranda of Understanding to ensure loan recoveries, improving return on assets and equity, commercial accounting and Boards held accountable.

Introduce limited private management.

2. Reform of Investment and Regional Banks

DFCC and NDB privatised.

RRDBs consolidated into 5 RDBs

3. Improve Loan Recoveries

7. Banking Reforms (continued)

Recapitalisation did not succeed because of inadequate commitment to reform

– weak loan recoveries – continuation of bad loans – failure to achieve targets– inability to reduce costs by reducing staff– continued use of the banks for government finance eg. security, loss making public

enterprises.– trade union negativism

Major Structural Reforms contemplated.

– PB to be restructured into two – a savings and a commercial bank– BOC to be commercialised– Dispose of non-performing loans to an Asset Management Company– Private sector participation– Explicit subsidisation of social obligations– Rationalisation of excess employment– Good corporate governance.

8. Strengths of Public Banks

1. Historically significant pioneering role - in mobilising savings – confidence and goodwill- in deepening the financial system.

2. Developing indigenous entrepreneur class, local enterprise, small and medium sector, as well as good bankers.

3. Success of branch expansion evaluated by the private banks. More balanced development of rural areas.

4. Large size enables domestic and international expansion – Implicit government backing.

9. Weaknesses of Public Banks1. Government ownership brings government regulation

- inflexible operations - pressure for direction of credit- pressure for employment expansion.

2. Difficulty of loan recoveries due to political pressure.

3. Lack of performance oriented incentives.

4. Negative trade union pressure.

5. Breakdown of financial discipline as they are perceived as “too big to fail”.

10. Good Public Sector Banks

- Must be financially viable

- Operating on a level playing field with private banks

- Social obligations to be identified and public be informed

- Adopt good corporate governance principles, which are accounted for, to the owners and depositors

- Pay special attention to credit evaluation and loan recoveries

- Flexibility in operation and freedom from government regulation

- Should annually justify why they should remain under public ownership.