25/05/2007 - Brunei's Postal Services Department is ranked 17th globally in terms of performance parameters by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the United Nations body that coordinates postal policies worldwide.
During the closing of the Postal Service Department Service Quality Management course yesterday afternoon, Mr. Thakur Subhash Sinha, a consultant from the Asia Pacific Postal College in Bangkok, Thailand, said that according to the UPU, Brunei's Postal Services Department rates above 95 per cent in terms of express mail delivery services. "Each item that comes from express mail service (EMS) in Brunei gets tracked and traced, he said. "Brunei has a well in placed system when it comes to EMS."
Based in Berne, Switzerland, the UPU heads cooperations between postal sector players and helps to ensure a universal network of up-to-date products and services. Speaking to The Brunei Times, Postmaster General Awang Hj Abdul Kadir Bin Tengah, said that the course has helped the department identify a few areas that need improvement.
Among these are manpower, transportation of mail delivery and mail processing efficiency. In terms of manpower, the Postmaster General said the department needs to distribute the use of manpower evenly. "We need to restructure and realign job allocations."
In the case of transportation of mail delivery, problems were traced to motorcycle shortage. With this in mind, the department is offering to supply the private sector with motorcycles. The department will also be maximising the responsibilities of postmen in the delivery of express mail services.
In order to improve the efficiency of mail delivery, the department will implement the International Postal System Track and Trace project set tentatively next month. The system will allow customers to track registered items via the Internet.
The Postmaster General further said the department has submitted a proposal to the Quality Service Fund, an allocation programme provided by the UPU which aims to finance projects designed to improve service quality.
Meanwhile, in an interview with The Brunei Times, Sinha downplayed claims emails are causing post offices to become obsolete. "It is unfounded," he said, adding, "With the growing number of businesses, direct mail and business mail have also increased." He said postal services departments have to move with the times to keep up with today's technology.
Sinha will visit post offices in Kuala Belait, Seria and Lumut today before leaving to attend an International Postal Service course in Bangkok on Monday.
Courtesy of The Brunei Times By Finaz Daniel |
