As Montreal hosts an international conference focused on rebuilding the devastated country, the United Nations specialized agency for postal services says the postal sector must be part of efforts to rebuild network infrastructures.
“The postal infrastructure is an important motor of all national economies,” says Edouard Dayan, director general of the Universal Postal Union. “Haitians need effective postal services to receive and send mail and goods as well as make financial transactions, including money transfers."
We have an opportunity to help Haiti Post rebuild but also modernize its operations and activities so it can play an important role in revitalizing the economy, which is essential to the country’s recovery,” he adds.
Infrastructure destroyed
Except for three post offices in outlying areas of Port-au-Prince, most of the nine postal buildings in the Haitian capital were destroyed by the earthquake, including the Post’s head office and its main sorting centre, according to local postal authorities. These installations provided work for 350 people. Postal buildings also collapsed in Miragoâne, Grand-Goâve and Petit-Goâve.
Haiti has 60 post offices employing 600 people. The Haitian Post in 2007 processed 675,000 international letter-post items and 5,000 parcels. It also managed 161,000 postal savings accounts.
Posts mobilize
The postal service in Haiti is currently paralyzed. A UPU task force is examining scenarios for jump-starting postal services as soon as possible.
Postal inspectors from the United States will travel to Port-au-Prince this week to help secure the mail trapped in the rubble and at the airport and evaluate the needs for resuming postal exchanges with the world.
On site and abroad, Posts are doing what they can for Haiti, offering financial assistance as well as postal equipment. Germany’s Deutsche Post DHL has deployed its emergency response team. France’s La Poste issued a postage stamp to raise money for the French Red Cross. Other Posts, including those of Canada, Spain and Mauritius, are also working with the Red Cross nationally. Canada Post will soon send to Haiti nine postal vans bearing the latter’s national colours.