Staff issues impact post offices
(CNS): With a number of members of staff who are vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus or have childcare challenges still working from home, the Cayman Islands Postal Service is not able to resume normal service. Postmaster General Sheena Glasgow said the main post office in George Town is still only open for one hour per day and others are on short hours because some counter staff are not able to return to work.
“In order to reopen all post offices, I need counter staff to serve customers. I still have a high number of counter staff who are home because they are high risk for their own personal health reasons, they are vulnerable, or are citing childcare issues which delay their return to work,” Glasgow told CNS in response to inquiries.
“Until I’m advised by officials higher than me that such officers must now report back to the physical workplace in this COVID-19 environment, I’m limited in the availability of my counter staff to serve customers,” she added.
Glasgow explained that the CIPS had notified all of its postal partners through the Universal Postal Union, which has 192 members, that from 6 May the Cayman Islands could again receive mail and how to get the mail here, which included Royal Mail, the USPS and Canada Post.
But she said it was the responsibility of the country sending the mail to deal with the transportation logistics. The local post service has no control over that.
“This outbound transportation responsibility makes sense if you consider that the sending country also collected the postage paid by the customer and the postage is meant to cover costs, including transportation to Cayman,” Glasgow said.
Many people here in Cayman are still desperate to get mail from the US, but Glasgow said that the USPS tenders its mail transportation contracts annually.
“The airline contracted by the USPS to bring mail into Cayman, American Airlines, is not yet allowed access with Cayman’s airports still officially closed,” she said. “As this is a USA contractual matter, the USPS is taking some time to get alternate transportation arrangements in place.”
Glasgow said Cayman was not alone in feeling the delay over incoming US mail. “During a virtual industry meeting last month, the USPS verbally advised postal administrations that it was unable to send mail to some 100 countries, and has serious airlift issues to an additional 20 countries.”
Meanwhile, the Royal Mail has been sending UK post via sea freight and the BA air-bridge flights to Cayman.
| Post Offices | Current post office hours: | |
| Airport Savannah West Bay | Tuesdays to Fridays | 9am – 3pm |
| West End | Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays | 9am – 1pm |
| Little Cayman | Mondays – Thursdays Fridays and | 9am – 1pm 9am – 1pm 2:00 – 3:30pm |
Little Cayman Post Office is closed this week as the officer had a personal medical emergency off island.
All other post offices are only open for one hour on the respective “open” days to facilitate access to general delivery mail and in the case of the General Post Office, access to the inside post boxes.
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Category: Government Administration, Local News
There is also a problem with the placing of mail in the wrong boxes, and the occupier of boxes do not return the mail for reposting. Just say my Post Box is 4445 GT for whatever KY number, mail is wrongly put in 445 and I never see it because of say a personal vendetta, ignorance or bad mind on the part of the occupier of 445.
This is illegal under the Postal Law, since mail is the responsibility and property of the Post Office after it is accepted, and sent by the Post Office until it reaches the destination. This needs to enforced and Notices stating this placed in the media by the Post Master General and Ministry.
Put the post office under expats. Please. It should be functional for all the people and businesses in Cayman. Governor, What say you. We all pay the taxes. Only a chosen few are represented.
I’m sorry, and infuriated, but this is far more than a staffing issue. This is a Director (Post Master General) issue, a Ministry (Chief Officer and Minister) issue, and a DG issue now for some time! The Postal Service (and I use the term “service” loosely here) has long been milking this situation.
Every entity have employees with children and some risk. But we all know by now the risk here is very, very low! The “service” is full of excuses!
The infuriating part here is that the “powers that be” are allowing it?!
High risk? Self diagnosed no doubt, unless she is telling us the postal staff consisted entirely of old age pensioners and people with respiratory conditions. And at high risk of what given the current levels of infection being detected? And as for child care, hello, it’s summer. How is having the kids at home any different to last summer – or did they not bother turning up for work then either.? The high risk is of being expected to turn up and do a days work for a days pay – versus have a paid holiday.
The PMG as head has the power to put a notice in the local paper to the effect that employees who do not show up to work will not receive payment for the period of absence. NO EXCUSES. She can demAND the use of masks and arrange to carry out the other effective means of keeping the staff and the public safe. She is paid a GOOD salary and should earn it!!
Obviously she may have reached the time that she should be retired or fired.
The 5 worst things about Cayman in terms of how much they need to be dealt with once and for all time:
1. The taxis
2. The postal service
3. McKeeva Bush
4. The dump
5. The traffic
Solve the Mac issue, and the rest can solve themselves.