Clients unhappy with Kokopo SMK service

By KESSIE TADAP
PEOPLE wanting to send and receive money through the Kokopo Post PNG office are frustrated with the poor service, in particular the inadequate funds available.
A group which was recently locked out by Post PNG staff and security officers told The National the problem had been ongoing for weeks.
The most affected are students from various provinces who needed to access funds sent by their parents through the post office for their registration fees.
A request to interview acting post office manager Julie Herman was turned down. She was said to be busy and would not be available to comment.
But when contacted by telephone, an officer said the problem was caused by congestion in the electronic transfer of money which the office was trying to resolve.
The officers were trying to make payments according to the daily remittances to their branch.
The officer, who asked not to be named, said the shortage of cash was due to a technical difficulty they were facing.
Describing the situation as awkward and embarrassing for the management and staff, the officer said a minimum of K200 was being paid out in some instances.
He said the problem was affecting other centres and the officers were letting their customers know about the problem faced.
Customers interviewed said people in other centers wishing to send money to relatives in Kokopo through the post office should be aware of the problems it faced.
Customers are often turned away and advised by staff to return the next day – only to find that they still could not get their money.