I wish to pen my thoughts after reading about the postman who was arrested for throwing away Ang Mo Kio residents' unopened letters. The 29-year-old is someone with special needs. He said that he was too tired at the time and had been treated unfairly.
People are quick to blame SingPost for its lapses but there is a bigger underlying issue that they fail to question.
It is more important that SingPost reviews how it treats its staff instead of busying themselves with apologies. Apologising profusely will only appease the public temporarily but not solve long-term problems. It does not make anyone happier.
If SingPost treated its staff well, they may not have made repeated lapses within a few months. How tough must it have been for a postman to want to throw away not just letters, but his duty?
If the job is not easy for a normal person, how bad would it have been for someone with special needs? Does SingPost provide enough support to keep them happy?
I'm not saying that SingPost should not hire people with special needs. No, it should continue to do so as everyone, special needs or not, deserves to earn a living.
What I'm saying is that SingPost needs to look into deep-seated issues e.g. failing to take care of its staff, and start making necessary changes to prevent long-term lapses.
Saying sorry and moving on will not help. There are only so many apologies Singaporeans want to hear and soon, nobody will buy any of it. SingPost has to please its staff before jumping to please others. If not, it will be reputable for all the wrong reasons!
-Written by a concerned Sembawang resident
