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Last Updated: Jun 11, 2020 - 9:42:36 AM |
Nassau, The Bahamas – The General Post Office, which is considered a port of entry, has undergone a successful relocation exercise and has improved previous performance. During his contribution to the 2020/2021-budget debate on June 8, 2020, Minister of Transport and Local Government, the Hon. Renward Wells said that the move has been a successful one.
“It is a well-known fact that the General Post Office successfully relocated in May of 2019 to the Town Centre Mall,” he said. “In so doing, its priority agenda pursues transforming operations through technology as a fundamental first step.”
He said that despite the fact that the Department’s ambitious projections were almost immediately impacted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian early in the fiscal period, and most recently, from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, they have fared well.
“Notwithstanding these impacts, the Department actually has in the first nine months of the fiscal year, outperformed the revenue collections of FY2018/2019,” said Minister Wells. “We actually saw an increase in revenue intake from two million, three hundred and thirty-one thousand, three hundred and forty-five dollars ($2,331,345.00), in 2018/2019, to two million, three hundred seventy four thousand three hundred and twelve ($2,374,312), reported during the first nine months of this current 2019/2020 fiscal period.”
These figures, he said, are expected to rise as reports are received from the various family islands and activities in New Providence continue during the final quarter of 2019/2020.
“It is our hope that with a continued aggressive approach to moving parcels through the delivery process and further strengthening of daily deposits from postal activities, anticipated shortfalls will be offset from the economic turndown due to hurricane Dorian and COVID-19.”
He said further that despite the setbacks, there is still projected service expansion and anticipated successes for the Department.
“In fact, we intend to complement the audit certification we received in December 2019 by obtaining the security certification within the next fiscal period. Customer service will also be a focal point; facilitated by a recently introduced Customer Service Unit for the post office department.”
He said that the Post Office remains optimistic about the profitable advantages to be gained by improving its service product, therefore, will continue with the process of transitioning to a cash receipting system, which will tighten counter operating controls and expand service offerings. Also, the Department has been offered technical assistance from the Universal Postal Union (UPU), with the implementation of a compatible information technology solution to enhance, and expand parcel service delivery.
In order to further automate its service operations for the modernisation and transformation of postal services, the department has acquired the necessary hardware (such as PCs, monitors, and printers) to facilitate its cash receipting and e-commerce readiness process.
“These equipment will assist with embracing new revenue streams comprising of online shopping delivery, and customs clearance payments,” said the Minister.
He said that the state of its buildings would be addressed in regards to repairs and upgrades needed to a number of sub and district offices. These buildings have long fallen into disrepair and are in need of immediate redress. Our postal employees must be commended for their patience in working in these conditions and just like this administration delivered them from the horrendous conditions at East Hill Street, we will deliver them from these conditions.”
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