Postmaster General announces major postal and customs integration updates
By Deslyn A Joseph Following his return from a regional summit, Postmaster General Algernon Gomes announced critical updates to reform local postal and customs operations. In an exclusive interview with Observer Media, Gomes detailed his feedback from last week’s three-day conference in San Salvador, which brought together 132 delegates from regions including South America, Belize, […]
Black News 
By Deslyn A Joseph
Following his return from a regional summit, Postmaster General Algernon Gomes announced critical updates to reform local postal and customs operations.
In an exclusive interview with Observer Media, Gomes detailed his feedback from last week’s three-day conference in San Salvador, which brought together 132 delegates from regions including South America, Belize, Suriname and Sri Lanka. The entire forum focused on building a more cohesive relationship between the Post Office and Customs to maximize customer satisfaction.
According to Gomes, the primary source of shipping bottlenecks is incomplete or late Electronic Advance Data (EAD). Parcels frequently arrive with incorrect Harmonized System (HS) codes, wrong values, or vague descriptions such as “gifts” or “parts”.
“Because customs cannot perform necessary risk checks before a flight lands, items are held up for manual inspection. This creates a two-to-five-day delay, a backlog at the General Post Office (GPO), missed duty revenue, and angry customers,” he said.
To resolve these operational errors, Gomes outlined a three-step solution. “First, they will implement counter enforcement by making HS codes and value declarations mandatory fields in the acceptance system, meaning no EAD results in no acceptance. Second, they will conduct staff training by providing Universal Postal Union (UPU) Customs Declaration System (CDS) training for all counter clerks. Third, they will establish pre-arrival transmission by linking the Post system directly to Customs’ Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) system so EAD hits Customs 24 hours before a flight arrives,” he explained.
Gomes stated that equipping the postal service with high-tech security scanners for inbound and outbound mail is currently in the pipeline. These scanners are slated for acquisition as a necessary tool for both the Office of Exchange on Long Street and the Air Mail Unit at the V.C. Bird International Airport.
Presently, all mail is scanned using airport scanners before entering an aircraft. The upcoming dedicated postal scanners will assist Customs greatly in their inspections, building upon previous discussions regarding regional border security and training officers to intercept prohibited goods like hidden liquids.
Negotiations regarding a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to launch direct home package deliveries are still ongoing. Gomes explained that linking the postal software to the Customs ASYCUDA system provides a viable solution for calculating duties automatically. Once this software linkage is established and the MOU is signed, the departments will be able to deliver packages door-to-door, eliminating the need for customers to physically visit the post office to clear items.
Gomes clarified that the post office’s current International Postal System (IPS.POST) and Customs Declaration System (CDS.POST) software can already accommodate e-commerce, as customers are actively sending and receiving packages. However, full integration between the Post and Customs systems remains the biggest required change. This integration will ensure correct and proper information is sent to Customs prior to shipment, allowing for appropriate pre-checks and calculations.
The Postal Technology Center (PTC) has confirmed that the postal CDS is fully ready for this integration. Gomes concluded that while these technological modernizations move forward, the department’s courteous front-line staff remains its greatest asset to maintain excellent public relations.
