The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE government has now taken legal possession of the old Phil's Food Service building on Gladstone Road where work will "shortly" begin to ready it for the General Post Office's relocation, Transport and Local Government Minister Frankie Campbell announced yesterday.

Mr Campbell explained yesterday officials have received the notice of possession for the building, which was compulsorily acquired.

He did not reveal when the work would begin or give a timeline by which Bahamians could expect to send or receive mail and carry out other tasks at the new facility.

It has been nearly two months since Press Secretary Anthony Newbold first announced the decision to relocate the post office.

"I'm pleased to inform that we are finally in possession of the notice of possession for the building that we compulsorily acquired on Gladstone Road, which will house the General Post Office," Mr Campbell said before heading into yesterday morning's Cabinet meeting.

"So the next step is to actually physically take the building and that should happen in short order.

"All the relevant agencies are coming together to coordinate that and I'm satisfied that shortly thereafter work will begin. I know that the people at the General Post Office, our dedicated staff, have been long suffering and I want to say to them that the light on the horizon is getting brighter and brighter everyday."

This comes as the GPO earlier this month was forced to operate on half-days from 8.30am to noon, due to an electricity supply problem.

At the time a press release said: "The public is advised that the General Post Office Bldg. on E Hill St is currently experiencing some challenges to its power supply that will further impact office hours, over the next few days."

"As a result, operating hours at the GPO, will be conducted from 8:30am to 12noon, until further notice."

It added: "The department apologises for the inconvenience caused, and extends sincerest thanks for the public's continued patience during this period."

The government plans to demolish the aged East Hill Street complex as part of efforts to modernise the downtown area.

The Minnis administration last year halted plans left by the previous government to convert the Independence Drive Shopping Centre off Tonique Williams Darling Highway as a temporary location while the East Hill location was restored.

Minister of Works Desmond Bannister said the project received the green light without approved plans or a building permit for construction, adding environmental and social assessments like traffic impact were also not conducted.

The government has been in the process of acquiring the Phil's building on Gladstone Road; however, it is not clear how much it will cost to renovate the new post office location or how long the work would take to finish.