Tag: Mail Services

Postal services strengthened in Liberia

Posted by | Mar 24, 2008 | |

An international effort is underway to help restore postal services in Liberia which had been virtually destroyed by civil war.

Amongst those lending support has been Swiss Post which donated six mobile post offices in 2007 and Deutsche Post, which donated 10,000 EUR to help equip newly reopened offices.

Even Korea donated some 40,000 CHF from its Quality of Service Fund to help finance the purchase of vehicles, scales and stamp cancellation equipment. The US recenctly despatched (by US Navy ship), 35 pallets of Post Office boxes and postal equipment.

The Inter-Governmental Philatelic Corporation printed Liberia’s first post-war stamps last year, and donated 12 vehicles. Nigeria has been provided training to a number of postal staff.

Liberia has seen 14 years of civil war but since August 2007, it’s postal service is starting to move once more with international aid. The postal service is seen as a key to rebuilding the country’s infrastructure. Even rural areas will see 150 offices in 14 counties, compared to just 34 before the war started.

Jackson E. DOE, Liberia’s minister for posts and telecommunications and postmaster general said: .”The renovation and construction of post offices throughout the nation is part of our decentralization plan to take the postal services to our fellow Liberians in rural Liberia. It is their right, not privilege. They have long been denied such a right because of the protracted years of civil conflicts that led to living under harsh economic conditions. Decentralizing postal services is in response to the interim poverty reduction strategies programme.”

Read More

Russian Postal Service wears Red Hat

Posted by | Mar 24, 2008 | |

Russian Post and American company Red Hat signed the Protocol of intentions on IT development based on open freeware earlier this month. Andrey Pogodin, Deputy Director General of FSUE Russian Post and Jim Whitehurst, President of Red Hat signed the document within the framework of meeting. The parties agreed to join efforts to implement operating system Linux and other software products with open code in Russian Post’s IT-structure.

Transfer to freeware products helps to safe immense sum of money the enterprise presently spends on software for wide Russian Post’s network. Software products with open code considerably less expensive than commercial programs as the company doesn’t purchase any license. In case of difficulties company can sign contract on maintenance with the representative of company-developer. “Company using software with open code doesn’t pay for the software product itself. Maintenance work is paid only. So signing of such contract is 2-3 times lower than purchasing of license,” comments Andrey Pogodin.

Open software is to be implemented this year. Presently the developers of special programs used by Russian Post have task to adapt them for work on the base of operating system Linux. Thus, postal operators won’t find any changes difficult as they will use the same applications with user interface. Russian Post’s IT-specialists will pass special training.

Read More

Funky bikes for Correos Spain

Posted by | Mar 24, 2008 | |

The Spanish postal operator Correos has introduced five bright yellow, electrically powered delivery vans and nine adapted bicycles to it’s postal service fleet. The trial of ecological vehicles is to run in Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Seville, Granada and other locations.

The lower maintenance requirements and load capacity of the new vans made them an ideal choice. According to Correos, the useful carrying capacity and easy access make for easy loading of larger packages. The environmental impact is also reduced and the vans are apparently very quiet in operation. The six-speed vans, With a top speed of 57km/h (100km range), and a 460kg payload, could become a familiar site on Spanish roads. The new bikes have been adapted to provide more carrying space.

Correos has around 13,000 vehicles, including trucks, vans and mopeds. If the trials prove successful, more ecological vehicles will be purchased to replace those in its existing fleet.

Read More

Study focuses on future of news, newspapers

Posted by | Mar 23, 2008 | |

It’s Thursday morning, and I have a choice: Fill out my NCAA bracket for the office pool or write a column about the future of newspapers. Filling out the bracket would be easier — the predictions much simpler.

But that’s not part of my job description, so I’ll turn to the latest report from the Project for Excellence in Journalism.

Associated with the Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C., the journalism organization looks at news media trends across numerous platforms, including radio, TV, newspapers and the Internet.

“The state of the American news media in 2008 is more troubled than a year ago.

“And the problems, increasingly, appear to be different than many experts have predicted.”

Those are the opening lines of the overview of the study.

In many ways, the study — which examined the public’s news habits as well as coverage trends, staffing levels, revenue, ratings and circulation trends and more — provided good news for newspapers.

While paid circulation of newspapers continued to decline in 2007, readership of newspapers remains strong.

Market research conducted for the Journal & Courier last fall mirrored that finding. Our survey showed that readership of our print edition had increased over the past two years. In addition, the national study found traffic at newspapers’ Web sites growing at impressive rates, something we also have seen at jconline.com.

Read More

Ulster post offices now facing the axe

Posted by | Mar 22, 2008 | |

Fears are growing that dozens of post offices in Northern Ireland could be facing the axe.
A major announcement is expected on April 1 – and the mood is gloomy in the wake of a controversial Government cull in Great Britain.

Royal Mail has announced the closure of 2,500 offices across England, Scotland and Wales.

The Post Office is refusing to comment on possible closures here, but an approach similar to Great Britain would result in the axing of 10-20 per cent of Northern Ireland’s 540 branches.

Last night the Cookstown-based Rural Community Network (RCN) said if such closures experienced in Great Britain were carried over to the Province it would have a devastating effect on pensioners.

“Research has shown that older people in Northern Ireland are significantly more reliant on post offices than in England,” said Mark Allen, RCN research officer.

“What the decision-makers may not appreciate is that to able-bodied people with cars, these closures may not seem significant.

“But to vulnerable pensioners or lone parents, and people with literacy problems, the service is like a bank, community centre and general advice bureau all rolled into one.

“Many postmasters have told us that the services they provide to pensioners fall far outside their official remit, such as helping them fill in important forms and advising them on how to access other essential services.

“And the postmasters are also subject to a draconian confidentiality clause which forbids them from discussing who is to close. If they break confidentiality they could forfeit any compensation.”

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

What's the future of the postal USO?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!



View ResultsHide Results

Post & Parcel Magazine


Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest