Postal Museum, benefit for future generation

by Rohana JAYALAL

President Mahinda Rajapaksa who recently opened the new National Postal Museum and Philatelic Exhibition Centre to mark World Postal Day, said that the Museum should be considered a national heritage and it should help the future generation to understand the Postal history of the country.

The Museum is located at the "Thapel Piyasa" (Postal Headquarters) on D. R. Wijewardena Mawatha in Colombo.

Post Master General M. K. B. Dissanayake said at the function, the national level Museum and the Exhibition Centre were set up to commemorate more than 200 years of the postal service in the country, and will exhibit all methods used in the postal service and instruments which had been used in the post and telecommunications sector. In addition they also plan to make the visitors aware of the latest technology which is used in the post and telecommunications sector at present.

The first local stamp, the world's first stamp, the most valuable stamp ever issued in Sri Lanka, post boxes, carts used for mail transportation, mail bags, old telephones, uniforms and many other items will be on display. The Posts and Telecommunications Minister Jeewan Kumaratunga said in his address that the museum will depict the glory of the department and technological changes and ways and methods used in the post and telecommunications sector.

Minister, Jeewan Kumaratunga handed over a First Day Cover to President Rajapaksa to mark the occasion.