Claims of extortion in exchange for pension cheques and disability grants at the San Fernando TT Post Office descended into chaos yesterday as police had to be called out to escort postal workers from the compound. Tension mounted as pensioners, who had been waiting for almost six hours in the sun for the second consecutive day to collect their only source of income, were told they were not going to be distributed.
Weeping pensioners and others with multiple disabilities were coerced into paying as much as $100 to save themselves from having to come back another day. But when one observer noticed what was taking place, she raised an alarm and in unison they descended on the postal workers crying shame on them.
A few of the supervisors attempted to leave the compound in one vehicle but the angry men and women became mob-like in their behaviour, forming a human chain to block the vehicle, with the occupants locked inside, from exiting the compound. Screaming at the top of their voices and pounding on the vehicle, a handful of them demanded their cheques. It was at this point that the police were called in.
The situation became chaotic as the dependants squared off with police who tried to protect the postal workers who are engaged in industrial action. Screams echoed and tears flowed while women with babies in tow jostled with police who attempted to move the senior citizens away from the exit they had blocked. “We already struggling and they demanding money from us! Shame Shame! Fire will bun them!” Arleen Ordale screamed.
About 15 minutes later the police was able to restore calm and escort the postal workers out. Pensioner Suresh Calpoo, one of hundreds of pensioners who depend on their monthly cheques to take care of all of their needs, said he and others were lined up from as early as 6.30 am, hoping they would have been able to access their money.
He said around 9 am a supervisor arrived and informed them she had no keys and therefore they would not have been able to distribute any cheques. Calpoo said one staff member told him they were engaged in negotiations and if “Kamla” did not give them 80 per cent, then no pensioner would get any money.”
Arleen Ordale, who witnessed the money exchange, confirmed: “I see that with my own eye. We already struggling and they demanding money from us! Shame Shame! Fire will bun them!” She said it was despicable that the supervisor would lie in their faces. Afisha Noel, of San Fernando, who came with her ten-year-old daughter, Alisha, broke down in tears.
“Since morning my child have not eaten. We come here hoping to get our $1,150 public assistance cheque so we could go to the grocery,” she said. By noon, the TTPost staff attempted to make a getaway but the angry crowd which swelled to over 300 decided to stop them. Candice Gordon Alves, who held her ten-month-old baby girl, Alyssa, went in front of the car. Holding a pink umbrella over the baby, Gordon-Alves started to cry:
“Oh God, my baby sick! I waiting for this money to take the child to the doctor. She has a heart condition. All yuh (expletive) have no (expletive) heart!”
Another woman told police she had seven children to mind. “I will go to Massy and thief some bread and cheese for my children. All yuh don’t know how poor people does depend on this money!” she said. Jacqueline Carter, of St Joseph Street, San Fernando, said it was appalling that senior citizens who made a contribution to building T&T, would be treated in that manner.
Service crippled by absenteeism
TTPost acting general manager, sales and marketing, Ryan David, said operations “continue to be plagued by high levels of absenteeism that are crippling TTPost efforts to effectively distribute pension cheques. “Supervisory staff who are the custodians of the pension cheques failed to report for duty at several offices. TTPost is making every effort to manage the issue with the available resources. The corporation apologises to its customers for the inconvenience caused,” David said.
Since Thursday postal workers have been engaged in sick out action because of a delayed start to their 2011 to 2013 negotiations. On Thursday, an estimated 70 per cent of the staff who work in the processing centre at TTPost’s Piarco head office called in sick. Delivery officers across the country also called in sick Monday and Tuesday.
TTPost’s national delivery manager, Kerry Morris , has assured that the staff who have reported to work were “focused on getting pension cheques, grant cheques and the like sorted out.”