The UK Ministry of Defence has invested a million pounds in a new British Forces Post Office facility at Devil’s Tower Camp in Gibraltar, signalling continued UK investment in its MOD infrastructure on the Rock.
The facility was officially opened by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo on Tuesday morning in the presence of Commander British Forces in Gibraltar Commodore Tom Guy, and other members of his team.
Mr Picardo welcomed the investment of UK taxpayers’ money on the new facility and pointed to its wider significance.
“It’s fantastic to hear that investment in Gibraltar of public money,” he said.
“It’s an illustration of the continued commitment of British forces to Gibraltar and in Gibraltar.”
A spokesperson for the MoD said that the new facility has a greener footprint and will future-proof the welfare of staff who man the facility, as well as the important function it plays in maintaining morale.
The facility and the prompt and effective deliver of mail “is important to all British soldiers, their families and civilians alike”.
The new facility, which replaces a temporary building, involved significant work including the removal of 15 tons of rubble, the installation of 25 miles of cable, the inclusion of three IT platforms and a secure area.
The opening ceremony concluded with a tour of the new facility.
Commodore Guy noted that despite the increasing reliance on digital communication “paper is really important”.
“Mail is really important. Amazon parcels, as the Chief Minister has just noted, are really, really important,” he said.
He described the new facility as a “fantastic” and “good-looking” building that will provide a positive working environment for staff and improved services.
He thanked the team responsible for the project and celebrated the collective achievement.
Sergeant Jefferson Abazi, manager of the BFPO in Gibraltar, described the transformation as a significant step forward after months of preparation.
“I looked after the whole process of making sure we have the right kit in there to do our job. It’s been a daunting couple of months,” he told the Chronicle.
The new facility addresses longstanding challenges such as mail delays, limited capacity and space constraints.
“What this new facility does is give us a good area to operate, to be able to do our job, and it helps the lived experience for the staff as well,” he said.
The BFPO supports all British Forces Gibraltar personnel, handling everything from letters to parcels.
“We get two dispatches a week in,” Sgt Abazi said.
“The number of bags depends on the time of the year. It’s a seasonal thing as well.”
The facility, which also handles diplomatic mail, operates five days a week, staffed by a team of six, including two military personnel and four civilians.
The recent upgrade includes a new mail sorting system and enhanced customer service technology, both of which were installed just before the opening of the new building.
Sgt Abazi said staff had welcomed the changes.
“They’ve been excited to move in because the previous facility wasn’t this great, but we can’t wait to get started now,” he added.
