Customs Chief outline plans to modernise post office operations

Authorities are promising a major transformation of the parcel post operation at the Barbados Postal Service as they bring it in line with other courier services.

Word of this has come from Comptroller of Customs at the Barbados Customs and Excise Department Owen Holder, who also noted that his department will have greater oversight of parcels from the time they enter the island’s airport.

Holder said significant planning has already been done in this regard and the new procedures for that government department would “shortly” be developed and implemented.

“We are actually doing considerable planning work for the post office. We are currently doing a standard operating procedure that will come shortly. We are in the final [phase] of completing that standard operating procedure. The whole objective is that the post office will operate as along the lines of couriers,” said Holder.

“The post office, in our meetings, has identified a customs data system that will interface with ASYCUDA World, just transmitting the shipment information from the post office into ASYCUDA World and then we will go through the process of releasing those goods as is done at couriers. So there will be a major transformation at the post office,” he said.

Holder said the move could result in an increase in employment at the Barbados Postal Service.

“We have already had discussions with the minister with respect to looking at the staffing complements. There might be requirements for the expansion of space at the post office and you will have an increased complement over there,” he said.

“We will be having customs supervisions from the air site at the airport straight through to the deliveries at the general post office. We will also include operations for goods going to the local post offices and we are currently looking at that process. Hopefully within the next couple of months there will be a complete transformation of the process at the post office to facilitate Customs’ management of the importation of cargo at that facility,” said Holder.

He was responding to questions during a Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) information session on Wednesday, held virtually in collaboration with the Barbados Customs and Excise Department. marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb