office was near the St. Paul's AME Church. Trimingham's Paget branch is on the South Shore, and the post office is near St. Paul's (Anglican) Church.

A brand-new, purpose-built $1 million Post Office for Paget has got the stamp of approval, a Government Minister revealed yesterday.

And Works Minister Mr. Leonard Gibbons promised the new Post Office would provide a first-class service for the area when it is completed in around a year.

The Government has forked out $325,000 for a plot of land next to Trimingham Brothers in Middle Road.

The new Post Office will replace the current building, also on Middle Road, near St. Paul's AME Church, which is now too small and has inadequate parking.

Mr. Gibbons said: "Paget has needed a new Post Office for many years.

"The present one has only three or four parking spaces it's on a very busy road.'' Mr. Gibbons added that the new Post Office would have more parking spaces, more space for staff and Post Office boxes.

He said: "There has been a crying need for this in Paget for many years, but we had to find a suitable site.'' Mr. Gibbons added Government had carried out extensive inquiries to identify a site and had even contacted real estate agents to see if they had suitable land available.

But Trimingham Brothers has agreed to sell off a piece of land next to its Middle Road shop and planning permission has been granted for a new building.

Now the design brief will go out to architects and construction firms will be invited to tender for the work.

Mr. Gibbons added the old Post Office would be put on the market and cash from the sale would be used to offset the cost of the new building.

He said: "The current Post Office is in reasonable shape, but it just doesn't suit. We will put it on the market as soon as we can.''