Trinidad & Tobago to have postal code addressing system

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In an attempt to bring the local postal sector up to international standards, by year-end Trinidad and Tobago will launch a postal code addressing system, similar to those used internationally.

This was announced Wednesday, as the Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation (TTPost) held a stakeholders’ consultation on the new postal code and addressing system for Trinidad and Tobago. The consultation was held at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain.

Anthony Moore, Chairman of the board of TTPost said the corporation has embarked on making the postal service one which will be accessible to every sector of the country, capable of delivering high quality products and services.

“Even in this digital age, and inspite of challenges, post is an industry that continues to impact the daily lives of people world wide.”

A postal code is a unique identifier that unambiguously identifies an addressee’s location and assists in the transmission, sorting and delivery of mail. It will placed after the “city or community in your address.”

Trinidad and Tobago, which has 72 postal districts, will have a six-digit postal code.

The first two digits will point to the postal district, and will identify the main TTPost delivery office, which will process the mail.

The second two digits will represent the area within the postal district called the delivery loop. The last two digits represents the zone or building within the delivery loop — the geographic location of a group of addresses.

Professor Jacob Opadeyi, the master mind behind the development of the postal code system, noted the United Nations has stated it is a fundamental right for everyone to have a physical address.

He said the Universal Postal Union (UPU), of which Trinidad and Tobago is a signatory, stated it was necessary to develop a postal code in the Caribbean region as many towns in countries in the region have similar names, “which result in problems with inbound and outbound mail.”

Opadeyi explained the new postal code can result in improvements in the efficiency and accuracy of local addresses, a reduction in undelivered mail and improved billing and customer services.

Robert Hernandez, General Manager, Operations, TTPost said currently, Trinidad and Tobago has no set standard for addressing.

“We still use things like lamp post and mile marks. This presents a dilemma when getting mail delivered. Therefore, we are working with the UPU to develop an internationally standardised addressing system in Trinidad and Tobago. The institutional memories of our employees allow mail to be correctly delivered in this country,” Hernandez said. He also noted that West Indies (WI), which is sometimes placed after Trinidad and Tobago, when addressing, was not part of this country’s official address. “TTPost will promote the discontinued use of this.” Minister of Public Utilities, Emmanuel George, said with the new postal code system, TTPost will be able to use machinery to sort mail, and the mailing system will be computerised and standardised.

However, George could not confirm if any job loss will be associated with the new computerised system.

[Lounge Lizard]

"Hernandez said. He also noted that West Indies (WI), which is sometimes placed after Trinidad and Tobago, when addressing, was not part of this country’s official address. “TTPost will promote the discontinued use of this.” " so hopefully less of their mail will get mixed up with that for London W1.