[asia-apec 1236] NZ/APEC: Mail Disruption caused by APEC

[Gatt Watchdog]

National Business Review, Auckland NZ
August 6 1999

Mail beats rain, hail and snow - but not Apec

The mail gets through, rail, hail, sleet or snow - but not through
Apec.

The economic leaders' summit is not only effectively shutting down
Auckland city on Monday, September 13, but is also disrupting
regional and national mail until at least Wednesday, "providing
there are no surprises".

The last event to stop the service doing its duty was the Auckland
CBD power crisis.

Communications adviser Katherine Scott said New Zealand Post had
been working closely with the Police and was one of only two
companies - the other is a delivery service - to gain limited
access for vehicles to the inner city from the Saturday to the
Monday.

But the limited number of courier vehicles, X-ray screening of all
mail for ticking bombs and the closing down of streets with only
minutes' warning would mean fast and frantic messages flying over
the walkie talkies.

"We are going to have people on the ground being couriers for a
day with microphones, telling us which streets are closed and
which routes are best.  All it would take would be for a leader's
wife to decide she wants to go shopping in Devonport and that road
will be closed."

The hub of northern post, the Auckland Mail Centre is based on
Victoria St next to the Aotea Centre and is right in the middle of
the Apec area.  Street boxes will be closed and the company still
doesn't know how many couriers they are allowed.

"People need to realise this could affect mail on a national
scale.  The leaders may be going for a trip to Christchurch and
Queenstown and then you'll get the whole scenario over again.  All
it would take would be for President Clinton to fly somewhere at
the same time as one of ours and it would disrupt the mail."