GPO working at snail’s pace

Last Wednesday, March 1 at about 11.00 am I took about 185 flyers (A5 paper folded into two and stapled) to the General Post Office, Bristol Street, Fort to be posted. This flyer was to inform the members about the forthcoming AGM of the Group of 70s’ Old Boys Association of Zahira College, Colombo to be held on March 19.

When I took it to the counter for the flyers to be franked, I was told that it cannot be done as these were too small to be fed into the franking machine. Then when I asked about the cost of postage, I was told after checking the weight and showing same to their superior officers that it will cost Rs. 12. When I queried about the high cost as it was not in an envelope, I was told that since it was being sent by an Association, the charge is more than the normal postage cost.

When I wanted to paste the stamps and hand over the letters to the counter I was told to put it in the mail boxes that were lying at the entrance and that these will be delivered by the next day. I did put the Colombo mails into the box meant for the zones 1 -15 and the others to the outstation mail box as per instructions given by the person at the counter.

When I checked with my colleagues, a very few members of the OBA received it the following day i.e. Thursday March 2 and rest of the members had not got their letters even by Monday March 6.

I expected to receive mine by Saturday the latest but only received a letter from the Consumer Authority of Sri Lanka which had the date stamp about 4 days ago. Why is there such a delay in the delivery of the mails?

Hope the Post Master General will explain as to the undue delay? I hope the postal workers are not on an unofficial work to rule and hence the letters are not delivered on time!