Published 09 October 2018
Buckie Got It, St Kitts and Nevis News Source
WORLD POST DAY 2018 ADDRESS DELIVERED BY MINISTER OF POSTS, HON. IAN PATCHES LIBURD
My Fellow Citizens and Residents – Greetings
Today is World Post Day and it is with great pleasure that I bring this auspicious occasion to your attention.
The event was originally created by the Universal Postal Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969. It is celebrated each year on the 9th of October, the anniversary date of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in the Swiss Capital, Bern in 1874. For that reason St. Kitts and Nevis joins with the Universal Postal Union to commemorate World Post Day.
Instinctively, we associate the Post Office with letters and stamps but much more than that it is one of the very important elements of public infrastructure.
The Post Office also serves as a critical communication channel that keeps people connected.
Today, we will all agree that the advancement in communication technologies has dramatically transformed the ways in which citizens interact, share or exchange information and do business. It is instant, visually appealing and diverse.
In this age of digital and mobile technology we can procure goods and services in real time by a soft touch on a smart phone while speaking with a person in any part of the world. A location is assigned online using a plethora of platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and/or twitter to name a few.
Whilst this online or “real time” presence reaches billions of people, having an address is important. Without an address, you do not exist.
It is one of the most critical pieces of information needed to locate persons for Social Security, Banks, Import and/or Export Services, Census and Survey activities, GPS systems and many other activities. Postal services may be deemed slower but sadly millions are living without a dedicated postal address.
Post Offices remain relevant across the world as they provide the same opportunity for everyone to be reached. They are a valuable communication link. In the midst of frustration and confusion resulting from a natural disaster when technological disruptions are inevitable, the Post Office offers the most reliable method of finding people.
The rise of the digital age has not only changed the way we live but the way we think about the world. It has had a profound impact on how we perceive Post Offices. It is for this reason that the theme for World Post Day is INNOVATION, INTEGRATION AND INCLUSION.
Recognizing that the traditional postal business is diminishing, it is time to revamp and rebrand the Post Office.
Why INNOVATION?
The Post Office is still a relevant vehicle of the future. It is therefore incumbent on us to find different ways to appeal to the general public and our stakeholders. It is the integration of new ideas that would result in a more inclusive approach for future postal services. So, we asked ourselves, “How do we address the digital age?”
New ways have to be found to examine three key areas:
- how we interface with customers
- how people work together
- the way in which postal leaders collaborate with stakeholders in the market
Training staff on the ASYCUDA system helps us to work closer with the Customs and Excise Department. Likewise, training with .POST brings us in alignment with Universal Postal Union’s standards.
A focus group symposium with a view towards soliciting the perspectives of various stakeholders will be convened in the latter part of October. A new activity, to wit the POST CADE will take us on an awareness raising activity throughout all of the communities in St. Kitts and Nevis.
The stamp exhibition is open to everyone. We therefore invite all but in particular our teachers and our school children to pay a visit to the General Post Office to see the exhibition which runs from the 9th to the 26th October. Stamps do provide stimulating learning activities.
As we pursue a transformative and inclusive agenda, the staff is central to achieving our goals. To this end, a series of activities have also been planned to foster a spirit of collaboration and cohesiveness. On our new trajectory, postal workers will have to learn new ways of working together.
Our celebratory activities conclude with the launch of our Facebook and Instagram pages.
This wave of e-commerce and digitization demands that the General Post Office hold a pride of place in the national socio-economic development of St. Kitts and Nevis.
As we open new lines of communication to build a more profound understanding of how we can meet the needs of people, as a Government we are committed to supporting and implementing policies that would drive growth and innovation.
In closing, I wish to emphasize that post offices have an extensive network and they give everyone the same opportunity to be reached in reliable ways. I therefore salute the institution, the General Post Office, for the critical role it plays in our everyday lives. I also challenge all of us to work together in order to enhance the image of the postal sector and shepherd its path to innovative, integrated and inclusive services. Let us continue to adopt new technologies and embrace transformation.
On this World Post Day I thus hereby convey my Very Best Wishes to the Management, Staff and all stakeholders of the Postal Fraternity here on St Kitts and Nevis!
Thank you very much and may God continue to bless our beloved Federation.
