A postman who said he was shot and injured on the job three years ago, and whose application to the government for more money in compensation was rejected by the attorney-general, said he intends to challenge the state’s position in the Supreme Court.

Raymond Lawrence, who now sorts mail at the Greater Portmore Post Office, wants the government to pay him more than $2.5 million which he said would cover the money he has already spent in medical bills, as well as his claims for general damages and gross negligence for preventing him from earning a salary from a second job.

Lawrence, 33, related his plight in a recent interview with the Observer. He said that on October 15, 1998 at about 11:30 am, he was delivering mail on Central Avenue in Franklyn Town. He left his bicycle on the sidewalk and entered a yard to make a delivery. He said he saw four men walking along the avenue. One of them opened the mail bag, took out a letter and opened it.

“I rode him down and caught up with him along Newton Avenue, which is the next street. He pulled a knife and slashed at me. I was still on the bicycle while his two friends were across the street. One of them pulled a gun and shot me in the thigh,” Lawrence said.

He said he spent six weeks in hospital and another six months recuperating at home and incurred $34,000 in medical bills, which the government has since reimbursed.

Lawrence complained that the injury has left him with a limp and poor blood circulation, which has resulted in a loss of sensation in his right foot.

“Since I left hospital, I have spent over $120,000 on medical bills and I can’t find the money again because the sickness has left me broke, so I want the government to do something for me,” he said.

According to him, he had to close his bank account to purchase medication.

His application to the government for more money in compensation was turned down on the advice of the attorney-general’s office which, in a letter to the Post and Telegraph Department, said: “We are of the view that he is not legally entitled to further compensation from the government. Such compensation would be in the nature of general damages, which is compensation for pain and suffering.

“This would only arise if the injury emanated from the performance of his duty. For instance, if Mr Lawrence had been using a bicycle that was defective and which caused him to fall and injure himself.

“However, in light of the fact that the injury was as a result of an external factor, and did not arise from the default of government, Mr Lawrence is not entitled to compensation beyond that outlined.”

The response, though, has upset Lawrence.

Said he: “This whole thing about I can’t get compensation because I was not injured because of my duty is complete rubbish. I am a government worker, and I was injured while I was working for the state, so don’t you see that I must be compensated?”

He said that because of the injury, he has lost income, as he is unable to resume a second job he had, previous to his injury, with a security company which he used to supplement his monthly take-home pay of $4,102.

Lawrence also complained that he had to return to work before he was fully recuperated because he had used up all his sick leave and was losing pay.

He said that while he was on sick leave, he was thrown out of the house where he lived because he owed rent. His monthly rent was $12,000.

However, with the consent of his church — Mount Caramel Apostolic Ministries — since last May he has been living on the church premises at 28 Retirement Crescent in Kingston, free of cost.

Lawrence said postal workers were not covered by insurance and called on the government to implement a policy for employees who may be in his position.

Post and Telegraph Department personnel officer, Elaine Rose, admitted that the government does not provide insurance for postal workers, but said: “We are now looking at a number of package proposals from insurance companies for them, but nothing has been worked out as yet.”