Seeking answers

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is demanding that Government provide a post office in West Terrace, St James to replace the one that was closed in 2018.

Last Friday, during the launch of the party’s Listening Tour, DLP president Dr Ronnie Yearwood said the closure had put numerous residents, especially the elderly, at a disadvantage.

“We demand that a post office be put back in the area on behalf of the residents in that area. They deserve a post office. A lot of those folks have worked hard, they were civil servants, were builders of this country and now in their golden years you are removing a basic service that they require and they need,” he said.

“The Government should be really ashamed of itself. I am disappointed by the representative of the area and Government and I expect a response.”

In a letter dated August 31, 2022 and addressed to the Parliamentary Representative for St James South Sandra Husbands and Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams, Yearwood requested an update on the status of the post office which was temporarily closed on September 27, 2018 and then permanently shut on May 30, 2019.

In the correspondence, he noted that the premises of the former post office had become a privately-operated gym and wanted to know how permission was granted for the business to be set up there since there was no consultation with residents.

Dr Yearwood said while the post office was in need of repairs it played a vital part in the community.

He said it was difficult for people, especially the elderly, to travel to Holetown, Bridgetown, or Warrens to get their mail.

“We are not here to cry down small businesses or persons trying to be entrepreneurs, but how could you convert something that was a public space, a post office serving one of the largest constituencies in Barbados with one of the largest concentrations of retirees in Barbados, into a private members gym without their consultation when the people there wanted a post office?” he questioned.

When contacted, Husbands said the residents would get an update on the post office during the St James Speaks town hall meeting scheduled for the end of this month.

She told Barbados TODAY that she could not speak to the future plans of the post office at this time, but the Ministry of Home Affairs would shed light on the matter during the upcoming meeting.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb