Minister of Home Affairs and Information Gregory Nicholls says reforming and strengthening the region’s approach to terminal dues is critical to the sustainability of Caribbean postal services.
Speaking at the opening of the Universal Postal Union–Caribbean Postal Union Remuneration Workshop at the General Post Office in Bridgetown, Nicholls said the system governing how postal operators compensate one another for delivering international mail carries significant financial and operational implications for small island states.
He noted that Caribbean postal administrations face high transportation and logistics costs, limited economies of scale and growing inbound parcel volumes driven by cross-border e-commerce.
“If not properly understood, negotiated and managed, terminal dues systems can place disproportionate strain on postal operators,” he said, adding that when strategically handled, they can support modernisation, efficiency and revenue optimisation.
Nicholls urged regional collaboration, stronger cost accounting systems, data-driven decision-making and continued investment in training and professional development. He also reaffirmed Government’s commitment to modernising Barbados’ postal administration and advocating for equitable treatment of small states within international postal policy frameworks.
He encouraged participants to view the workshop as part of a broader regional strategy aimed at strengthening negotiating power and improving service quality across the Caribbean.
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