Better get a PO box

WE READ the Letters page last weekend (February 24) and the avalanche of correspondence re the postal chaos in the North, and felt we should add our experience.

Like most expats we moved here after several enjoyable holidays and this thorny question was often raised as we wished to continue our business after moving here. Consequently we asked the locals their views on the TRNC’s postal system. To a man/woman they advised us to buy a PO box in Derinya and not rely on the “service” here. This we have done for 12 years now with a three-day eitherway delivery to Europe.

We were told that there were two problem areas. The first was Mount Pleasant in London, where the Greek workers looked for “Mersin 10” mail. If you succeeded in getting over that hurdle you had the workers in Turkey who looked for “interesting” UK mail and helped themselves. That convinced us to go down the Derinya PO box route and we have never had any issues. Yes, like the PO boxes on our side, you pay an annual fee but it is worth it to know that post in either direction arrives safely, registered or ordinary.

Again, from talking to locals here and reading the comments posted last weekend, the situation will get worse and not better. There just seems to be such a lackadaisical attitude within the postal system.

To the Girne sufferers: I’d advise you to get a PO box in South Nicosia for peace of mind. Editor’s note: The suggestion of “Mersin 10” post being deliberately targeted in London was put to a Royal Mail spokesman, who denied it.