Bandits torch inside Wismar Post Office after foiled robbery

The interior of the Wismar Post Office at Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice) was torched in the wee hours of Thursday morning following a foiled robbery.
This publication understands that after bandits had forced their way into the Post Office at about 04:00h, they encountered difficulties in accessing monies from a safe which was believed to contain monies to pay old age pension.
The safe, however, withstood the attempts, and it is believed that the bandits then set the building alight. Pensioners who turned up to receive their old age pension on Thursday were unable to access payments since the post office had since been

closed.
Pensioners were however advised to access the service at the Mackenzie Post Office across the river. Police have since launched an investigation into the incident. ‘E’ Division (Linden-Kwakwani) Commander, Anthony Vanderhyden, said Police and the Fire Service responded after being alerted about the incident.
“At four hours this morning (Thursday), we got a call that smoke was emanating from the Wismar Post Office. As a result of this, Police responded along with the other entities, which is the Fire Service, responded. The (fire) was extinguished by the Fire Service, and investigators from the Wismar station detectives are in the process of doing the investigative work,” Vanderhyden said.
While the gate to the Post Office compound has since been locked, prohibiting access, this publication understands that the entire interior of the bottom flat has been destroyed, and all the documents, computers and furniture were completely burnt or water damaged.
Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian and officials of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), who visited the scene later on Thursday morning, indicated that emergency works will be facilitated to the building.
“On my way to work this morning, I was notified of what seemed to be a break-in and attempt to burn down the building… We from the Regional Democratic Council, I just brought over an engineer who will assist the Post Office Corporation in terms of preparing a bill of quantity, description of works, and we will get it to the Guyana Post Office Corporation. What we’re looking for is to get this post office and the services it renders to the community up and running in the shortest possible time,” Morian said.
The Regional Chairman added that there needs to be a paradigm shift as it relates to security at the entity.
“There are other institutions in the area that deal with money, that don’t have break-ins. The post Office Corporation now needs to move to have security huts. It’s too much a vital service in the community for every time persons doing things to bring this service down. We depend on the service that the Post office renders to the community. So, my thing now is that the administration of the Guyana Post Office Corporation needs now to change the paradigm. You need grilling mesh and cameras, plus we need to have security guards placed within the institution,” the Regional Chairman said. Meanwhile, he noted that Councillors within the Welfare Committee have also committed to ensuring that pensioners get access to their pension, and would assist with transportation where needed. Member of the Regional Welfare Department Denise Belgrave said the incident is unfortunate, as she pointed out that more than once the location has been a target. She said this will adversely affect senior citizens who were looking forward to receiving their pension.
A pensioner who spoke with media operatives has also expressed concern over security at the Post Office.
Seventy-year-old Thomas Tudor said the Post Office is prone to break-and-entry, since it lacks security. “I am deeply upset”, Tudor said. The Wismar Post Office is no stranger to robbery, and has been robbed by bandits several times in the past.