The Barbados Postal Service (BPS), with its headquarters at Cheapside in the capital, Bridgetown, is moving with the times, modernising its operations to meet changing demands.
The service has come a long way from the day in 1851 when the local legislature, under Britain’s Charles II, passed the Post Office Act.
Besides linking over 90,000 households via its on-the-ground network of mail delivery workers, the (BPS) today offers a range of modern day services.
There is a pickup service for businesses and government departments. All it takes is a phone call to the General Post Office ((246) 427-5772 or (246) 431-952) to arrange a mail pickup.
The Express Mail Service (EMS) equates with the commercial couriers. It offers customers a fast, efficient, reliable and fully documented service.
EMS is available for either local or international delivery and can be purchased from any District Post Office Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.; from the General Post Office between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. You can order EMS envelopes and labels and have them delivered by calling (246) 427-5772 or (246) 431-9527.
Post Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Mondays and 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday.
For two years in a row, the BPS achieved Gold level certification for inbound Express Mail Service (EMS) deliveries, achieving benchmarks – including service performance and tracking – established by the Universal Postal Union for EMS members worldwide.
Because of having its ground network of postal workers, the B.P.S. delivers flyers, foldouts, brochures etc. for a nominal price.
Using the BPS bulk mail service is the fastest, most efficient and secure way for companies in particular to post large volumes of mail. The main value is that the service eliminates the need to place stamps on each piece of mail.
Today the General Post Office also boasts an e-commerce enabled website, allowing users to shop online for stamps, literature, and memorabilia or update a standing order account.
Included is a downloads page, offering a range of business forms, which are completed offline and returned to any local Post Office with which you do business.
There’s also track and trace, an Internet-based method of monitoring the movement of your mail, a feature once only available from the major courier services.
Stamps are sold at 18 island-wide post office centres of the BPS, including the Grantley Adams International Airport in Christ Church and Barbados Cruise Terminals Limited (the sea port) in Bridgetown.
There are 18 stamp denominations, with $1,000 being the largest, used primarily in business transactions.
Besides the BPS, Barbados is served by the major courier services, including FedEx, DHL and UPS.
