Le Hunte: TTPost focusing on e-commerce industry

ACKNOWLEDGING that while traditional mail was on the decline, Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte said TTPost is attempting to capitalise on the “ballooning” trend of worldwide e-commerce.

He was speaking at the launch of the Address Improvement and Postal Code Implementation Project for the Penal/ Debe Regional Corporation area, at Paria Suites, La Romaine on Wednesday. He said the project started in 2011 and was due to be completed by year’s end. “TTPost and the delivery of mail has been one of the arteries – a main artery of communication in times gone by, but, I think we all understand how easy it is now to communicate with your friends via the telephone, via e-mail, via WhatsApp, and the technology is evolving in such a manner that letters is something we rarely do.”

He said industries such as the banking sector were moving away from mailed printed statements and were encouraging customers to use their online services.

“We recognise that technology is definitely impacting this business, and by the same token what is really starting to balloon in this business is e-commerce.

“And we, TT, because we have one of the best standards of living in the western hemisphere, and a lot of us go online to make orders for delivery, so too TTPost’s business is transforming. And in keeping with world standards, we are seeing mail delivery dropping. But again, we are trying to increase delivery or take advantage of e-commerce that is ballooning throughout the country and worldwide.”

Earlier, corporation chairman Dr Allen Sammy welcomed the project’s implementation saying it would make it easier for government agencies to co-ordinate with the corporation to deliver goods and services to the sprawling corporation which has a population of just over 90,000.

However, he expressed hope that the privacy of residents would be safeguarded and not shared with large corporations.