Old Post Office building crumbling!
Broke or not?
Many in the media, civil society, talk show hosts, as well as the Opposition Virgin Islands Party have said for almost a year that the Government is broke, however, Premier Smith and Financial Secretary Neil M. Smith have both denied those allegations.
Mr Smith, the Government’s Chief Financial Advisor, warned some Ministers of Government earlier this year that if they did not control spending “we will be broke.”
Now comes word of a crumbling building located on Main Street in Road Town that houses the Post Office and the Registrar of the High Court Offices. The Government through the Public Works Department is responsible for the upkeep of all government owned buildings.
Building is failing safety of workers?
The building, which is very old and was one of the first Administration Buildings in the capital city of Road Town, is also used as a court house to hear many cases overseen by Court Masters and it is frequent by members of the legal fraternity, their staff, along with others seeking information on court cases.
The Old Administration building, also known as the Old Post Office, is in need of urgent repair and is crumbling before staff’s eyes. It’s unclear the safety of the building structure or if and when repairs will take place.
Court workers in the building are tight-lipped for fear of victimisation.
It was this news site that reported last year how dark the hallway was for residents checking their mail boxes at nights.
Dirty area filled with cobwebs
After our reports they quickly fixed the lights, however, now the areas around the main boxes in the building are dirty and the ceilings are covered with cobwebs as areas used daily by residents to check their mail boxes are unclean.
The Post Office is under the portfolio of the Ministry of Finance and the Court comes under the Deputy Governor’s Office.
Efforts to get a comment from the Deputy Governor’s Office as well as Financial Secretary Mr Smith were unsuccessful.
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31 Responses to “Old Post Office building crumbling!”
Where is the action this is his district. What happen it to small to get >>>>>>?
Moreover, the old post office building belongs to taxpayers and government as its steward must protect and preserve it. The building should be evaluated to determine if it can be cost effectively renovated, keeping as much of the historical features as possible, for government use, reducing the cost of being a lessee.
But the Government, stuck on its bright and shiny, ignores anything that reminds us of our history.
"memory has become the sacred duty of all people of good will". It is who we are. Shame on you!!!!
It also would have made a great boutique hotel which would draw people to a pedestrian main street and activities. Now it is a ghost town. No vision for the future. Only conflict of interest and self- serving.
Agree with Dog that Main Street should be designated a Historical District (If it has not already been deemed so). Main Street needs to come alive through a holistic plan. Perhaps it needs to be pedestrainized(But lack of roads within the City may make this just a pipe dream). Some of the landmarks are gone, i.e., market square, old power plant....etc but we can protect and preserve what is left. Follow on generations will be unkind to us if we do not.
Have you really look at that building and see the culture and the structure? Taking down that building would be a sad day in Tortola. No, no, no.