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Unexpected closures, limited hours of operation, mail not arriving for weeks before being delivered in bulk, and staff shortages—La Poste has been facing a series of operational challenges in Saint-Barthélemy for several years. Under constant fire for its declining service quality, La Poste management says it is working with the local government to improve the situation. As the territorial representative for the La Poste group, Barbara Monpierre offers some insight into the discussions and initiatives undertaken with territorial councilor Mélissa Lake (chair of the committee on economic affairs) to help the services offered on the island regain the trust of residents.
Housing, the crux of the “matter”
“We’re making progress,” Barbara Monpierre states right away. One of the main issues La Poste is working to improve is mail delivery. An “air transport issue” whose resolution required Mélissa Lake’s intervention. “Our cargo wasn’t part of the priority flow,” notes Barbara Monpierre. “We needed to better understand the postal freight issue at Juliana Airport (Sint Maarten),” explains Mélissa Lake. “Unlike perishable goods, we are not a priority. Discussions have therefore been initiated. This is the first time we’ve gone this far in building a partnership with a carrier.” An improvement can therefore be anticipated.
A new milestone is expected next month, as on June 8, a national delegation from La Poste, composed of aviation sector managers, will travel to Saint Barthélemy. However, locally, the main challenge remains the same. And it is not unique to La Poste, as it concerns housing.
“Thanks to discussions with Mélissa Lake, emergency solutions have been found,” explains Barbara Monpierre. “But the problem remains the same.” And it has consequences for staffing at the Gustavia branch. “At the slightest hiccup—if someone goes on sick leave—it brings the whole system to a standstill,” laments the regional representative. “Yet we’ve managed to keep the branch open far more than we could have otherwise.” This has been achieved in part by calling on staff from Saint Martin. It’s a situation that offers no stability, neither in service continuity nor in staff retention.
The announcement of an ongoing recruitment drive to strengthen the existing team could, however, bring an improvement in the coming weeks—provided the hiring goes through.
In addition, Mélissa Lake mentions the possibility of installing more mailboxes in neighborhoods. “This system is simpler for mail carriers because there are areas where delivery is difficult,” explains the elected official, who also mentions “considering” a so-called “click-and-collect” system. To this end, La Poste has been searching for retailers capable of providing postal services for the past two years.
As for the Lorient post office, for the record, it relies on a staff member provided by the local government. Consequently, when that employee is absent, the office remains closed.
