Residents spruce up and fortify Bushy Park Post Office on Labour Day after break-in

For a few days postal operations were transferred to the Old Harbour branch, inconveniencing hundreds of citizens, pensioners the most affected.

But a rallying cry from one committed resident galvanised enough support to make a telling impact on Labour Day.

Despite strong restrictions imposed on social gatherings and citizens urged to labour at home this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, residents dependent on the services defied those orders in a concerted effort to ensure that the post office remains up and running.

Yesterday a crew of approximately 20 residents picked up their tools and got to work, giving a facelift to the more than 100 years old public department.

The entrance where the thieves managed to prised their way in was reinforced, while new CCTV cameras and an alarm system were installed for the very first time.

Cecile Alberga, a well-known and highly respected public figure and resident of the district, spearheaded the initiative and was on hand to see its execution.

She made it known that since moving in the area in the 1960s, she has developed a special affinity for the post office.

“I have been down here from 1969 and this is my post office,” said Alberga, a businesswoman of notoriety in the horse racing industry and farming sector. “I have been taking care of this post office all along and the other day when they break into the post office again and they decided to move the post office to Old Harbour, I couldn’t take it, because pensioners can’t reach Old Harbour, they can barely walk down here, so I had to take it up and decide to get it fix.”

Talks of a permanent closing of the facility spurred Alberga into action as such a move will have a massive impact of the community.  

“I spoke with the post master general and told him that we will take care of it, we will put in security camera, everything to make it more safe,” she told Old Harbour News while a crew consisting mostly residents from Vineyards Estate, Aqueduct Estate and settlers along the train line tried to get as much done before the 3:00 pm islandwide curfew kicks in.

Branch manager, Bushy Park Post Office, Deneisha Smith, said her staff cannot thank Alberga enough for the wonderful show of support over the years, but this time was extra special given their situation earlier in the month.

“It shows that there are caring persons out there. She has always contributed to the post office,” Smith told Old Harbour News after she was interrupted while adding another layer of paint to the walls of the interior. “To tell you the truth I didn’t know that someone would look out for us the workers like that.”

In commending Alberga, the branch manager added: “For she to have us come back in our work place, it’s a wonderful feeling. She’s a team player and a down to earth person and everybody came out just because of her and the love and respect they have for her.”

Alberga, who also had one of her business establishments burglarized on the same night the post office was broken into, presumably by the same set of crooks, lauded the residents who came out in a joint community effort which received support from the local business community.

Contributions from W&B Hardware, OJ’s Wholsale & Grocery, Cheap & Clean Wholesale and Liquor, Multipet Service Station and Dahlia Mears were duly recognised in a true “community effort for the benefit of all”.

“There is nothing like having your own post office in your own community,” Alberga beamed with pride.