Thousands of packages left in the open, gotten wet and have not been processed by USPS personnel in the Puerto Rico mail.
Dozens of complaints on social networks have brought to the fore the chaos that prevails in the external facilities of the post. The released images show the countless packages, letters and envelopes waiting to be processed and delivered to their recipients.
Scarcity of resources aggravates the situation
According to Angieliz Colondres, vice president of the American Postal Workers union, the problem at the post office in Guaynabo PR is a reflection of other towns that have the same fate. She indicated that the residents of towns such as Caguas, Carolina and Bayamón face a similar situation, since the lack of personnel in the post office does not allow them to handle the high volume of packages that arrive on the island.
Colondres said that the receipt of correspondence in the Postal Service in Puerto Rico has increased compared to the start date of the covid-19 pandemic, in March of last year.
“The post office, having no employees, could not handle the demand. In terms of packages – since the pandemic began – the number of packages we are moving has increased by 60%, ”she said.
The union leader said that, at the moment, the Postal Service is not recruiting personnel on the island. She added that to tackle this new reality, the federal agency would have to hire at least 400 workers to improve the service.
“People started to withdraw and they (USPS) started to eliminate positions. Those places of the retired people were never filled. We (the union) have sued. We have acquired some, but not all, ”she said.
Municipality offers help
The mayor of Guaynabo, Ángel Pérez, told the press that he notified the postmaster of the post of his availability to handle the handling and processing of correspondence.
“I sent staff from the municipality this morning (yesterday). I am requesting a meeting with the ‘postmaster’ to see how we can collaborate. What was done today (yesterday) was that they came from other couriers to help with the process and lower the volume (of packages) ”, mentioned the mayor.
He pointed out that although the Postal Service is a federal entity, the municipality is available to offer a secure area in which packages that are exposed outside the mail can be located.
