BVI post must embrace digital age, Premier says

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley told postal leaders gathered for a regional workshop this week that the local post office must embrace digital transformation to stay relevant in a fast-changing world.

Speaking at the Caribbean Postal Union and Universal Postal Union Workshop held in the BVI, Dr Wheatley said the evolution of e-commerce has changed how people shop and communicate, and postal services must adapt to meet these new demands.

“Postal services have always been, and will continue to be, a cornerstone in the operation of any society,” Dr Wheatley stated.

He traced the BVI’s postal history back to 1787, when the first post office was opened in Tortola, highlighting how the service helped connect the islands with the rest of the world before the digital era. Despite a rich heritage, Dr Wheatley said the rise of private couriers and digital tools has put pressure on traditional post offices.

“In the last five years, courier shipping in the Virgin Islands accounted for approximately 29.74 million dollars or 1.5 per cent of government revenue… compared to revenue contributions from postal services of just 9.87 million dollars or 0.5 per cent,” he explained.