Their first priority is to protect their depositor's money and of course make a profit. Not unlike any Bahamian business that has to protect its inventory and make a profit to continue to operate. The Three C's of Credit. Most banks' lending practices are guided by a simple formula called the Three C's of Credit. These are Character, Capacity and Collateral.
Character is important to ensure that the borrower is legitimate and has a good credit rating.
If they are a first time borrower decisions are made based on references, family relations etc. Capacity to repay the money is also important because if the loan is not repaid the bank has to write it off against profits. Collateral is a necessity in many instances if a borrower is not well known to the bank or wishes to borrow the money for a less than conservative venture. If the only collateral available far exceeds the value of the loan, this cannot be laid at the feet of the bank as being unreasonable. Start a Venture Capital Fund.