Cuban conference shows how to ‘revolutionise’ postal services

A MEETING on the varied postal services throughout in the Caribbean was extremely insightful, according to utilities minister Hon. Goldray Ewing.

"…it provided tremendous insights as to how we can revolutionise postal services in our own country,” he said in a press release on July 8.

The 12th Annual Caribbean Postal Union (CPU) Conference and the Council of Ministers of Postal Affairs was held in Havana, Cuba, from June 25 to 28.

It was hosted under the theme, ‘Our way forward – Building on the pillars of the regional postal-sector strategy.’

Ewing, Minister for Home Affairs, Public Utilities and Transportation, led a team from the TCI to the regional event.

He was accompanied by Permanent Secretary Clara Gardiner, Postmaster General Elizabeth Garland-James and Head of Secretariat Cynara John.

At this year’s conference, country representatives discussed ways to strengthen their operating capacity, opportunities to contribute to economic growth and the promotion of effective trade through the use of technology, financial inclusion and connectivity.

Attendees deliberated on, and learnt first-hand about policy decisions that have the potential to affect the Turks and Caicos Islands before the end of this year, Ewing said.

"A major takeaway from the conference for me is the potential to offer a wide range of services that can be meaningful to a larger percentage of our population and by extension increase Government revenue.

"It also provided a forum to meet ministerial colleagues, who no doubt, will be a meaningful resource in my efforts to elevate postal services in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

One common challenge being faced by postal services was highlighted as manual processing with costly ineffective software or no access to technology.

Attendees stressed the urgent need to generate revenue to sustain their operations, adding that there is inadequate customer focus, an inability to digitise bill payments and other agency services, and difficulty in monitoring and control.

Postmaster General Elizabeth Garland-James took part in panel discussions under the topic ‘Produce for new business, products and services’.

She shared that the recently opened George Brown Post Office in Providenciales affords staff the space to handle the opportunities that online shopping and overseas shipment brings.

Garland-James also said the use of technology is central to improving customer service and that the process of implementing parcel tracking software has already begun.

The CPU is a governing body that aims for the region to have a sustainable post network providing a wide range of communication and logistic services at a reasonable cost.