Revisiting the unparalleled role of postal services on World Post Day

Sri Lanka’s 200-year-old postal service now stands at a turning point as the government is keen to ensure that it doesn’t incur any losses or become a burden to the Treasury in future.

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This is why the government has allocated a sum of USD 7 million to modernise postal services in the country. According to Health and Media Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, this allocation was made despite postal services being a burden on state finances. However, despite various hardships in carrying out duties, especially in this day and age of technology, postal services are still considered a vital sector globally.

October 9 marks World Post Day, and the theme for this year is ‘Post for People; Local service, Global Reach’. According to the United Nations, with over one-third of people offline and half of businesses not trading online, post offices—often the only public access point in remote areas—are vital gateways to the digital economy. This year’s campaign highlights the Post as a vital public service rooted in communities and driven by people. From rural villages to urban centres, the Post connects people and opens doors to the world.