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Minister Wayne Furbert - Post Office Statement.pdf

The Bermuda Post Office is moving forward with a public-private partnership with an international consolidation company for package forwarding and consolidation services from the US, it was revealed today.

Wayne Furbert, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, also told the House of Assembly that the BPO will offer online Customs duty payment and home delivery of postal packages.

He said both initiatives are slated to begin early next year.

The minister said these and other new initiatives would see additional revenues of $600,000 in 2021, rising to $1.7 million by 2024.

The BPO is projected to lose $6.5 million in the current financial year.

Of the consolidation service, Mr Furbert said: “This partnership will enable local postal customers to take advantage of free shipping services and have their packages consolidated in the US and then forwarded to Bermuda.

“Customers using this service can opt to send for those one-off items as a guest or set-up a MyBermudaPost account for frequent use. Once a customer authorizes shipment of the item to Bermuda, the Bermuda Post Office will SMS or e-mail the MyBermudaPost customers for customs duty payment and arrange for home delivery.”

The service will compete directly with the nine private sector businesses offering similar services.

Mr Furbert said of the the online customs duty payment: “With postal packages arriving with the electronic information, the BPO can reach out to their customers via mobile SMS or e-mails to notify them of their package's arrival.

“The customer will be provided with online options for completing the duty payment process with a credit card and the option for home delivery or collection at a sub-office. The online duty payment and the delivery option will be at a competitive price for the convenience of the additional service.”

For the Minister’s full statement, please see Related Media.

Other potential services, developed in conjunction with consultants KPMG, include:

•Remittance processing services at its counters and online.

•Last-mile logistical services for local businesses.

•Facilitating services for Bermuda businesses for Just-in-Time inventory;

•Expanding outgoing e-commerce services tailored to Bermuda’s businesses;

•Kiosk and mobile apps for all service transactions.

•Expand retail products for on-line e-shopping for local and international delivery; and

•Organizational structural changes in providing jobs and development opportunities for Bermudians.