Dear Editor,
On Monday 4th April, 2016, I left my work place, braving the weather travelling about eight miles to get to the Bartica Post Office. Having arrived there, there were about fifteen persons, most of them pensioners, so with the limited staff there I understood that I had to spend some time, so as to send some money to the Aurora Post Office for someone to receive and to conduct some urgent business for me.
But having paid nine hundred dollars for which a receipt was issued and with the expectation that the receiver on going to the Aurora Post Office would have accessed this money, I was subsequently told by both Post mistress and the receiver that the Office (Aurora) did not have any money, and the receiver would have to wait until the following day, Tuesday 5th April, for same.
I then requested from the Postal Clerk that my money be returned to me so that I could use some other money transfer agency.
To my utmost surprise, I was told that the only way this refund could happen is that I would have to pay a further eleven hundred dollars. The only thing I said to the Clerk is this is robbery without violence. I then left the Bartica Post Office and thankfully I was in a position to have another set of money sent through another money transfer agency.
It is important to say that the Aurora Post Office was not in a position to complete the transaction (paying the receiver) until 14:00 hrs on 5th April, 2016. The system at these post offices needs to be looked at.
On a related issue, the Minister, the Honourable Volda Lawrence, shortly after being sworn in, visited some post offices, and as expected made some observations regarding the long time that pensioners have to spend at the post offices and most of them standing for them to get their money. Her comments would have inspired a lot of hope for changes to happen. Months after I am not sure if anything has changed.
Yours faithfully,
Archie W Cordis
