WESTERN BUREAU — The second floor of the 19th century post office in Falmouth, which was recently restored at a cost of $1.6 million, is to house a postal museum by year-end, commerce, science and technology minister, Phillip Paulwell, announced this week.

“It will be the first of its kind in Jamaica and will feature invaluable collector’s items spanning centuries,” Paulwell said Monday, at a ceremony to mark the post office’s restoration. “The facility is being developed in collaboration with the Institute of Jamaica, which is ensuring that it conforms to the international standards,” the minister added.

Postmaster general, Dr Blossom O’Meally-Nelson, who also spoke at the function, said the museum would symbolise “something that is lasting”.

“We are going to have a pictorial area, video area, seminar room and postal objects,” O’Meally-Nelson told the gathering.

She added that the Postal Corporation of Jamaica would be asking postal administrators from across the world to contribute items for the museum, adding that the facility would house a postal shop and a café.

Restoration of the post office was undertaken by the Falmouth Heritage Renewal Inc and the Falmouth Restoration Company, through donations from the Friends of the Georgian Society in London and the Postal Corporation of Jamaica.

Work on the facility included:

* repairs to the roofs and windows;

* cleaning of limestone blocks;

* repair to the support beams; and

* the re-plastering of the walls.

“(The post office now) reflects a vision of a future in which communication will take place at the speed of thought and electric transaction will become commonplace,” minister Paulwell said Monday, adding that the facility would be equipped to provide Internet access to its customers by the end of the month.