GINA, Guyana, Thursday, February 09, 2017

Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, today congratulated the Guyana Post Office Cooperation (GPOC) for taking steps to modernise its operations by launching its Online Mailbox Service. The service was launched at the GPOC’s headquarters, Robb Street, Georgetown.

Hughes said the launch raises the bar in Guyana and ensures that the GPOC moves ahead with its planned transformation to better serve consumers in the digital age.

Noting that the internet cannot deliver packages, or Birthday or Christmas presents, or supplies to a mining location, Hughes said, “It’s the Guyana Post Office Corporation that still has the best network of locations across Guyana (more) than any other courier service”.

The Minister said that the Corporation has innumerable advantages with post offices in every hinterland district with long-established transit routes and transportation facilities going in every direction at much cheaper rates.

The minister noted that there are Post Offices all across Guyana. “… from Georgetown to Kwakwani, with offices in or near Mabaruma to Chenapau village near the Kaieteur Falls; from Karasabai all the way down south to Gunn Strip,” she pointed out.

Hughes said Guyana’s geographical strength is no good unless the relevant stakeholders meet the needs of customers for the fast delivery of their packages.

“We’re offering our services to the established international freight forwarders and to the few small scale middle-men who straddle the processes between your online purchases overseas and their arrival in Guyana by air or sea,” Hughes explained.

The minister added that citizens in the interior regions including miners, tourist resort owners, cattle ranchers and traders in the border town of Lethem, can be assured that internet services are coming to them in the near future which will afford them opportunities to purchase household items, spare parts, and even vehicles online.

“Going out of the postal business in Guyana is not an option for this government,” she said, adding that recalibration has to take place to make the postal service relevant and necessary in the age of electronic communication.

“Like every postal service in the world, years ago we saw the day approaching when Guyana would have to choose to either recalibrate our operations, contract it or dissolve it”,  the minister said.

Postmistress General, Karen Brown, said that the Corporation has claimed its share in the local e-Commerce market. She noted that Swift Shipping is expected to capitialise on the Corporation‘s geographical strength and boost its revenue.

Brown explained that Swift Shipping will offer online shoppers a free mailbox service at its warehouse accommodated by the PAKYA Shipping Company in Miami. She said that customers will be given the option to consolidate their packages for shipment to Guyana and shipments will be received once weekly and eventually twice per week as the volume increases.

Swift Shipping is mandated to function within the pillars of affordability, reliability, and flexibility. Customers can ship to Guyana via Swift Shipping for only US $6.25 for the first pound and US$3.00 for each additional pound.

Delivery will be available in Georgetown, Mahaicony, Weldaad, Fort Wellington, Rosginaol, New Amsterdam, Skeldon, McKenzie, Essequibo, Acquero, Mabaruma, Mathews Ridge and Port Kaituma, Brown said.

By: Gabreila Patram