A demonstration involving around 50 locals was held on Sunday in Praia da Luz in protest at CTT’s announcement that the local Post office would be closed next year.
The Communist Party already has issued a communiqué, stating that it will take the case to parliament and blames the twin closures, in Praia da Luz and in Sagres, on the 2014 privatisation of CTT carried out by the previous government.
Smaller Post Offices have been closing up and down the country which has led to “the degradation of the postal service’ say the Communists, a view confirmed by those so far affected.
On Monday, the Association of Terras do Infante Municipalities publicly expressed, "their most vehement repudiation for the planned closure," not only of Praia da Luz Port Office but also the one in Sagres.
Terras do Infante, a triumvirate of Lagos, Vila do Bispo and Aljezur Councils, state that the closures disadvantage locals, especially the elderly, as well as tourists and foreign residents.
An appeal is also being made to the Government by the Communist Party, asking for the State to intervene to keep these services open, for although CTT is run by a private company, the government, "has a moral and political obligation to interfere in the defence of a right of the people to a universal service."
"The CTT administration announced the dismissal of more workers, the sale of more assets and the closure of more stations," in a process that follows "the path of divestment and decapitalisation," claim the Communists.
The Lagos branch of the Young Socialists are backing the protest to keep these two Post Offices open, fully aware that CTT's plans is to cut small rural outlets and concentrate their operations in cities.
CTT's management has remained silent on the issue and, when asked by algarvedailynews.com to supply a list of planned Post Office closures in the Algarve and Baixo Alentejo, so far has failed to respond.
Many locals at the demonstration signed a motion of censure at CTT's unilateral move communicated to the Parish Council last week.
See also:
1. Sagres joins Praia da Luz on Post Office closure list ... 17 December 2018
2. Locals in uproar - Praia da Luz Post Office to shut ... 13 December 2018
__________
CTT's response to an algarvedailynews enquiry about store closures, reads as follows:
"CTT has been strengthening access points throughout the country, maintaining the relationship of proximity with the population and ensuring that the needs of the clients are assured.
"We now have 2,392 Access Points, that’s 75 more CTT Access Points compared to 2014, the year of privatisation. More than 100,000 customers a day use these outlets.
"CTT Access Points are opening at a faster rate than Post Offices are closing.
"These solutions aim always to provide a better overall quality in the services that CTT provides and to ensure the provision of the public service such as the payment of social benefits, delivery of warnings and the payment of invoices, have the advantage of being more convenient for the population.
"This retail network maintains a strong presence and proximity to the populations and, through the association with partners, this network contributes to the development of the local economy."
The link http://www.ctt.pt/feapl_2/app/open/stationSearch/stationSearch.jspx shows all current outlets.
