Are you shocked seeing the Financial Times report on banks not doing anything but storing cash, and want to help?

Sir, I refer to your front-page “Big bills: Plans to hoard banknotes pose tricky problem over storage”; and Claire Jones’ and James Shotter’s “Note of caution as Europe’s banks seek to stockpile cash” August 17.

It is shocking; we all know that is not how it should be. That is money not earning what it needs to accumulate in order to pay pensions for the older of tomorrow. That is money not invested in creating the jobs of tomorrow for the young.

Just like John A Shedd said: “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are for.”, “Money held by banks in their safes is safe (sort of) but that is not what banks are for”

Do you want to help change that? Then please support the discussion of the following:

Until banks have 8 percent in capital against absolutely all assets, including cash and including loans to infallible sovereigns, the banks should not be allowed to repurchase their own shares, or to pay out more than 20% of their net after tax profits in dividends.

With that I guarantee you some real action in banks lending to the real economy; and that could lead to real economic recovery, real possibilities to build up pension funds, and real jobs for our children and grandchildren.

Forget about QEs, fiscal stimulus and negative interest rates; and let “risky” SMEs and entrepreneurs get the credits to have a go at it.

@PerKurowski ©