Region 10 RDC calls for burnt-out Post Office to be rehabilitated

Weeks after the Wismar Post Office had been set on fire, officials have renewed calls for Government to release funds in a timely manner to enable rehabilitation of the building, and ultimately return to senior citizens efficient delivery of their old age pensions.
The Post Office was torched in the wee hours of August 2 when bandits broke into the building in an attempt to cart off cash designated to pay pensions.? However, the safe withstood their attempts at broaching it, and the perpetrators allegedly set the building on fire in retaliation.
The issue of rehabilitating the Post Office was discussed at the statutory meeting of the RDC on Thursday.
The current situation has created difficulties for many Wismar residents, especially senior citizens, who depend on services provided by the Post Office. Wismar Pensioners are forced to collect their old age pensions at the Mackenzie Post Office, and they complain that this it is time consuming and costly for those who

are not in the best of health.
In seeking a solution, Regional Chairman Renis Morian told members of the Council that he has since written several Government officials on the issue, including President David Granger.
Morian pointed out that the Mackenzie Post Office is presently plagued by overcrowding and other issues, and cannot cope with the influx of pensioners at any given time.
He further noted that he has since met with officials of the Guyana Post Office Corporation, and he pointed out that the entity needs the support of the Council.
On the day of the incident, the region’s engineer was tasked with completing a bill of quantities for reconstruction of the Post Office building.
This was completed, and the repairs are expected to cost approximately $14.3 million. Morian related that he visited the Mackenzie Post Office on Monday and observed the overcrowding, coupled with the heat and lack of proper waiting facilities.
The Regional Chairman added that the Post Office needs the support of the council, since it serves people of their constituencies. The council is hoping for positive response from Government officials. As well, the Chairman hopes a solution would be arrived at very shortly.
“”I sent a letter to the Minister of Finance, along with the bill of quantities, highlighting the plight of the residents… I’m asking the system to deliver $14.3 or $14.5 million. Find the money…the letters are out. I’m giving this whole matter another week, and if I don’t get some positive response, then I gotta up the ante”.
The Regional Chairman stressed that the temporary fix to facilitate the pensioners at the Mackenzie Post Office is not working, owing to the numbers.
In addition, Councillor Charles Sampson noted that the Post Office should have been treated as an emergency, and work should have already commenced, since it serves a significant amount of citizens.
“Even if the Post Office Corporation doesn’t have funds to effect immediate repairs, immediate repairs should have started… Why are we taking so long? As far as I see, that’s an emergency…I hope that by the next pension day…we do something about the Wismar Post Office. Most of the pensioners live over at Wismar”, he noted.
Meanwhile, Councillor Gordon Callendar noted that a contractor is expected to visit the site of the Wismar Post Office on Friday to assess the situation.
The Mackenzie Post Office is currently accommodating staff of the Wismar Post Office to aid in the better delivery of service at the facility. However, this is not without challenges, the Regional Chairman has pointed out.
He said the Council is committed to finding an urgent solution to deal with the plight of Wismar residents.