Damaged Tortola mailboxes after Irma & Maria means long lines for mails
One of many areas affected is mail delivery to mailboxes on Tortola. For the most part, many of the government mailboxes that are leased to residents have been damaged or need repairing.
On Tortola, BVI Post has stopped delivering mails to boxes after the September 6, 2017 hurricanes.
No mail boxes for letters on Tortola
It appears that the old post office building on Main Street in Road Town, where many of the boxes are located, have been abandoned and not usable after the storms.
Therefore, residents wishing to collect mails from their postal boxes can no longer do so on Tortola. However, they must journey to Road Town at the main post office located next to the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports building in order to collect their mails. This sometimes can be a challenge as mailbox holders must present an identification and residents have to stand in long lines.
Little better on Sister Islands
On the sister Island of Anegada there was no mail to residents for a few months following the damages from the two hurricanes to the District Office building in The Settlement. However, mail have resumed going to the District office and can be picked up there.
On Virgin Gorda, after a few weeks delay following the hurricanes, mails are now being delivered to government mailboxes and residents on that island are receiving mails in their letter boxes. On Jost van Dyke, there is no mailbox system; however, mails can be collected via the district office, which had stopped that service after the Hurricanes, but has resumed and is usually collected from the government’s district officer.
Meanwhile, many vehicles belonging to BVI Post were also destroyed during the hurricanes, making it further challenging now for mail deliveries.
With the infrastructure of the Virgin Islands still severely damaged or destroyed, it remains unclear when mail delivery to boxes will resume on the main island of Tortola.
Financial Secretary Mr Glenroy A. Forbes, whose Ministry is responsible for the post office, did not respond to our queries up to time of publication.
Fewer residents using BVI Post
Over the past 6 to 8 years, there has been a decline in revenue from the government run post office, especially for express and online shopping packages. Even with the Ezone express service, BVI Post has experienced much decline in its customer base and saw the rise of more residents and companies using FedEx, DHL and other private shipping and delivery services like JML, Tortola Express, and Island Bargains.
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31 Responses to “Damaged Tortola mailboxes after Irma & Maria means long lines for mails”
Suspend collection of mail box fees until you can provide mail box service..... we understand Irma left several boxes wrecked and will take time to get back to normal service but come on.... it's like your land lord asking you for rent but they have no house for you to live in.
Makes you wonder the competency of whom ever in charge of that department.
This year, this same Government Department is busy accepting annual rental although the boxes have been out of service since the hurricane of 6th September, 2017. They are giving no discounts for the time the boxes can not be used. And they had the temerity to stock the peoples' mail at the Road Town Post Office without first notifying their clients that they could collect it there (the announcements followed times after).
It is obvious that their practices need to be reviewed and box renters be given credit for service they are no longer receiving.