The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Public Services Union is still waiting for the government to conclude a deal to have the General Post Office moved to the Town Centre Mall in an effort to alleviate the poor working conditions staff suffer at the facility's present location.

John Pinder, BPSU president, told The Tribune the decision to relocate the post office to the mall is something being discussed at the Cabinet level, and once a go-ahead has been confirmed, it is "safe to say that some work will begin shortly."

Mr Pinder said the "biggest hold-up" would be a pending decision over whether the government will also move the existing boxes to the Town Centre Mall or purchase new boxes. Mr Pinder said he has been informed the government is leaning towards the latter, and if so, it would take about six weeks for delivery and another two for installation.

Mr Pinder's statements were the latest in an ongoing saga surrounding the subpar work conditions at the East Hill Street post office.

Last year, Mr Pinder threatened industrial action if the former Christie administration did not immediately relocate employees from the "unsanitary" building on East Hill Street. At the time, he said his members were forced to work in a mould infested building with rats and termites and a leaking ceiling.

Since then, Mr Pinder said things have got progressively worse and now the air conditioning unit in the building is not working, forcing employees to work in the sweltering heat.

Last week, post office employees walked off the job early because of these conditions.

They have since returned to work and were placed on three-hour shifts.

When questioned for an update on the matter yesterday, Mr Pinder said: "We have sent a correspondence on to the minister responsible for the public service, we had conversations with the minister for transport-- the post office falls under his portfolio--we spoke to the minister of works regarding funding for what needs to happen.

"And we're in the process now of trying to conclude a deal where the post office can move into the Town Centre Mall location, so we're having some discussions right now as we speak."

The former Christie administration had started efforts to have the main post office relocated to the Independence Drive Shopping Centre, off Tonique Williams Darling highway by the end of May. However, Mr Pinder previously said the Minnis administration stopped those plans and is considering moving the post office to the Town Centre Mall.

"…Once we are clear on that, it is safe to say that some work will begin shortly, and then within three months or so the post office should be able to move into that space," Mr Pinder said yesterday. "Because it's only cosmetic work basically for the Town Centre Mall space in addition to installing new boxes rather than transporting the old boxes. A decision is still being made on whether or not they're going to transport the old boxes or buy us some new boxes.

"My information is we're going to get new boxes. It will take about six weeks for those to be delivered, and another two weeks or so for installation. So that'll be the biggest hold up as relation to moving in the space...There's not much cosmetic work to be done."

Mr Pinder added: "I'm just anxious to get them out of there and get them working, (because) the general public is being inconvenienced by not being able to get their bills and their mail on time …So the government and the minister is certainly very anxious to make this happen.

"Right now the staff is only working three hours a day, and that isn't too good because we have to meet and keep up with some international standards as relates to how long it takes for mail to get from point 'A' to point 'B'. Right now we're not looking too good, so we are trying our best to get the post office up and running efficiently once again with eight hours of operation."