By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

REDUCED operations at the General Post Office are negatively affecting businesses, Bahamas Chamber of Commerce CEO Edison Sumner said yesterday, adding the chamber sees “no end in sight” to the problem.

For months now workers at the General Post Office have been working shortened shifts at their office on East Hill Street. Bahamas Public Services Union President John Pinder has described the facility as “hazardous” for the employes. A recent flood as well as air conditioning and mould infestation problems are the reasons the workers have been working just a few hours a day. 

“This has become a pretty vexing issue for a number of businesses, especially ones mailing invoices for payments, getting communication from their customers and those dropping cheques in the mail,” Mr Sumner said.

“I’ve been approached by a number of businesses and we know the operations at the General Post Office have been reduced. These diminished working hours, the fact that the post office has been in a state of disrepair are having an adverse impact on the mail service.”

He added: “We intend to continue dialogue with the minister to determine what could happen to improve. We don’t see that there’s any end in sight. We know moves about constructing a new building have been planned. I believe that has been stalled and we don’t know what the government’s plan is.

“Certainly the issue has become a big concern to the business community not only for local business but those that are expecting international mail coming in as well. We need to make a determination on what steps will be taken but the government has to correct the problem.”

The Christie Administration, through a public private partnership, gave the green light to a project to relocate the General Post Office to the Independence Drive Shopping Centre off Tonique Williams Darling Highway. However, the Minnis Administration has halted that project, expressing concerns that it was approved without due diligence. 

The Minnis Administration has appeared open to relocating the post office to the Town Centre Mall.

Of the Christie-approved relocation project, Works Minister Desmond Bannister said in June the previous administration approved the project despite the absence of approved plans or a building permit for construction.

Although “technical officers at the Ministry of Public Works had advised the former administration a traffic impact study was required,” one was not conducted, Mr Bannister said. In addition, no assessment was done to ensure there would be no ground contamination from the nearby gas station. 

“Environmental and social assessments were required together with the submission of design details to the relevant governmental agencies for review,” Mr Bannister said, adding that none was done.