Postal services’ performance for 2023 |12 January 2024
‘Number of incoming parcels keeps increasing’
The number of parcels coming into Seychelles has not stopped increasing since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to statistics of the postal services.
In 2023, a total of 505,853kg of parcels entered Seychelles compared to 400,907kg of parcels in 2022. This was revealed by Postal Regulator, Neddy Padayachy, when giving an overview of the postal services’ performance for the year 2023, to Seychelles NATION. However, he said, their facilities have not necessarily changed or been modernised to cope with the significant increase in parcels. Most of the parcels came in through two main transport and logistics services, namely Aramex (Shein) and Mail America (Aliexpress).
Despite this increase the main company couriers have remained the same, comprising DHL, Mahé Shipping and FedEx along with the EMS courier, operated by the Post Office.
Mr Padayachy explained that due to the increase in courier, the Post Office came up with a few amendments to accommodate the extra parcels. One was to hire extra hands, by recruiting temporary staff to assist them. It also extended its opening hours from 8am to 4pm, to 8am till 6pm giving individuals enough time to collect their parcels.
“The Post Office also introduced an express tilt system, where people with several parcels, could collect all their items in one go without collecting one by one according to their numbers. This made it more efficient and smooth,” said Mr Padayachy.
He added the Post Office also introduced a delivery service where people can pay R25 fee for delivery if in the Victoria region and R50 fee for delivery outside of Victoria. “This system has been really effective and quite successful, for we have received recurring customers that have appreciated this system,” said Mr Padayachy.
As for the home door-to-door delivery, Mr Padayachy said customers were not necessarily making use of the free service.
To avoid frustrations and complaints, he is encouraging people who are in urgent need of their parcels to send an email to the couriers explaining their reasons, so they could collect as soon as it arrives.
This year the Postal Sector plans to enhance its awareness campaign, to make people aware of the service and its processes from collection point to when it reaches Seychelles’ customs.
They are also working closely with the postal regulator, customs and the police to enhance security and prevent prohibited parcels from entering the country.
They hope that in 2024 they will be able to accommodate more parcels and plan to create more space to allow such increase.
Kassey Govinden
Photos: Contributed
