13 heritage buildings to be restored for TTPost

MINISTER of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales on Tuesday formally opened TTPost's upgraded Diego Martin Delivery Office, saying the $1.7 million refurbishment would improve the service offered to 15,000 residents it served.
The post office is near the corner of Diego Martin Main Road and Covigne Road.

Gonzales announced the planned restoration of 13 historic buildings across TT for resumed use as post offices, including those at Mayaro, Sangre Grande, Tacarigua, Curepe and St Joseph. Also present was Communications Minister Symon de Nobriga – Diego Martin Central MP – who said the building was in Diego Martin West, but would serve all of Diego Martin.
He said TTPost must see itself in terms of the needs of a modern society or die, even as he also said the new facility would greatly help people living in the area's somewhat rugged terrain.

TTPost chairman Michael Seales opened the event, saying the improved facility would lift the quality of postal services to residents of the area, which was in fact TT's newest borough. He said TTPost had played a critical role during the pandemic to help citizens access the Government's social services, and he expected lessons learnt during the pandemic to boost the quality of service to be offered there.

Seales noted the decline in traditional mail over the years due to rival technology and said the challenge now for TTPost was to remain viable and find new opportunities in a developing economy.

"TTPost's business model is now placing more emphasis on its local and international courier business," Seales said. "And it is complemented by our efforts to provide a one-stop shop for micro-, small and medium enterprises to export their products to foreign markets."

Promising to generate revenue for TTPost and foreign exchange for TT, he said Caricom research indicated such diversification and growth could lift Trinidad and Tobago's GDP by up to two-four per cent.

"We urge everyone to use TTPost for all their local and international delivery needs."

Seales thanked all who had helped the office open "on time, within budget and without disruption to any of its services to Diego Martin."

Sigler Jack, outgoing chairman of the Diego Martin Borough Corporation, lauded the newly built corporation headquarters, but hoped residents would soon be able to register births and deaths locally and not have to travel to Arima as now obtains.

Gonzales said the upgraded facility reflected a wider development in Diego Martin, noting new structures housing the Diego Martin sporting complex, health centre and library.

"Do not take development for granted," he urged listeners. "We are too often focused on the negative."

He said while TT was not a perfect place, based on what he was seeing in Diego Martin, there was much to celebrate and thank God for.

Gonzales urged all to work together for the advancement of TT, against the backdrop of a larger country like the US having challenges like mass shootings, social strife and racism. He hailed TTPost's resilience, despite naysayers having predicted its demise.

"In the pandemic, had it not been for TTPost, how would our pensioners have got their grants?" he asked.

He also mentioned TTPost's helping people receive their food grants and social grants.

"They could not have done this without the 'posties' venturing into all of the different communities."

He said no one must underestimate the value of the postman/woman.

"Even if you have not got a proper registered address, the postman can tell you where Miss Mary lives, or where Uncle Joe lives."

Gonzales said TTPost was the envy of the Caribbean, with other postal services from Jamaica to Guyana wishing to visit TT to learn from it.

He said TTPost's new legacy project to restore historic post offices would aim to engender national pride and awareness.

Gonzales recalled an account by historian the late Michael Anthony of TT's first post station, launched on Frederick Street, Port of Spain, on August 14, 1851.

He disclosed that he and Seales had once both been young detectives at Diego Martin's West End Police Station.

Gonzales noted the irony of two police officers on horseback historically delivering mail, while today mail delivery was being managed by two former police officers – Seales as TTPost chairman and himself as minister.

Gonzales said the facility was "not just a refurbished building" but  a sign of the Government's commitment to maintain facility services to residents.

Dignitaries then toured the building, guided by TSTT acting managing director George Alexis, who explained operations.

Newsday asked National Trust chairman Margaret McDowall if it were still possible to restore historic post offices at Mayaro and Sangre Grande, as listed by Gonzales, plus Siparia. She replied in a WhatsApp message, "Sangre Grande I can confirm is definitely able to be restored. We will need to visit the others."