Greater emphasis to be placed on Post Offices in 2018 – Min. Hughes

DPI, GUYANA, Sunday, October 08, 2017

As the Ministry of Public Telecommunications prepares to re-commission the Kitty Post Office on Monday in observance of World Post Day, greater emphasis will be placed on the traditional method of communication.

Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes disclosed that “In this year’s budget we have put some funding and opportunity for the refurbishing of some of our Post Offices”. She added that post offices in the Hinterland are ideally positioned to provide more services than they are currently doing.

A new payment system for post offices is being explored, following approval of the budget by the Ministry of Finance.  The Minister cited the example of the Caribbean, where customers are no longer required to physically go to a location to collect money. Instead, the funds are transferred to their bank accounts; in the case of Guyana, it can be transferred to their Mobile Money Account.

Hughes lamented the neglect of post offices around the country, under the previous administration. She noted “Very little investment has been made in the post office for decades. Many of you know because many of you have grandmothers and grandfathers that go to use the post office and therefore I am embarrassed that the level of service we provide. The fact that something as simple as providing a space for them to sit down while they wait, (is not there)”.

Minister Hughes underscored the importance of post offices as a hub for various services such as applications for passports, birth certificates, and business registration; also the prompt delivery of items ordered online to customers’ doors. She added that once the post offices reinvent themselves they will be able to provide fast, reliable service.

World Post Day 2017 will be celebrated on Monday 9, October. The World Post Day aims to increase awareness about the postal sector’s role for people and businesses every day.

 

By: Gabreila Patram