Sunday Observer PLUS

Postal services to keep pace with the times

By Ananda KANNANGARA

Gamini Ranaweera

Asnesan Jayamaha

The Sri Lanka Postal Department which completes over 135 years has planned to launch several programs to improve its services.

As the initial step of this program the Department expects to give motor cycles to deliver letters instead of bicycles.

Director, Sri Lanka Philatelic Bureau, Asnesan Jayamaha told the Sunday Observer that it is time to replace the existing letter delivering system of using ordinary bicycles with motor cycles.

"We have now come to the globalised era and the population growth is heavily increasing day by day, therefore, it is our duty to replace outdated systems with new systems.

The Philatelic Bureau Chief thanked Post and Telecommunication Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga for taking special interest to uplift the postal service on par with the present day needs.

He said the concept of introducing motor cycles to deliver letters was initiated by Minister Kumaratunga. As a pilot project of this program, eight postmen in the Main Post Office at D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha were provided with motor cycles recently.

First stamp

According to the postal history, the world's first stamp was released by the British Government on May 6, 1840. It also reveals that the Sri Lanka's first stamp was released on April 01, 1857 on a directive of the then Colonial Government.

As a mark of respect to the then British monarch, the picture of the Queen Victoria was displayed on the first Sri Lankan stamp.

The Ceylon Postal Service (CPS) was set up in 1874 with its headoffice opened in Colombo.

Thereafter, following the increasing demand for services two more post offices were opened in Galle and Matara.

The Philatelic Bureau was set up on June 01, 1967 with the objective of preserving old stamps.

Jayamaha also said the Department of Inland Revenue has the sole ownership of all stamps printed in the country and at present it retains thousands of old stamps to the value of cents 02, 04, 25, 50, Re. one, Rs. two, Rs. five, Rs. ten and upto the value of Rs. 2000 which is the highest valued stamp in Sri Lanka today.

Asked whether the Department expects to sell a large quantity of old stamps which are currently in the Inland Revenue vault, Jayamaha said it cannot be done overnight as the stamps to the value of two cents and four cents have big demand from stamp collectors.

Old stamps

"If these old stamps are sold, then people will buy them in large quantities and sell even to foreign countries at exorbitant prices".

“Therefore, we have to decide on this matter and take a decision after consulting the Minister”

Deputy Postmaster General, Gamini Ranaweera said stamps are normally issued to mark various events at institutions, birthdays and death anniversaries of eminent personalities. He said accordingly, about 35 to 38 new stamps are issued every year under the instruction of a specially appointed Postal Advisory Committee.

He further said stamps which depicts persons are generally issued after their deaths, but there are instances that few stamps of living personalities such as Dr. Lester James Peris and sportsman Muttiah Muralitharan have been issued as an appreciation for the service rendered to the country.

“We have already released the stamps of political personalities including D.S. Senanayaka, J.R. Jayewardene, Dudley Senanayaka, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, William Gopallawa, R. Premadasa, Sir John Kotalawala, Ranjan Wijeratne, Rev. Fr. Marcelline Jayakody and Dr. Lester James Pieris,”

He said over 1,000 philatelic clubs are in countrywide schools at present and a special stamp museum has also been opened at the main Postal Department premises at D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha. We have also opened three stamp museums in Kandy, Galle and Matara. The Deputy Postmaster General also remembered the days where the Central Telegraph Office (CTO), the Radio Ceylon and the National Savings Bank were under the Postal Department.

Pix: Vipula Amarasinghe