This was stressed by Leo Tudela, U.S. Postal Service director for Asia-Pacific relations and global business, yesterday during their annual managers and executives meeting at the Hyatt Regency on Saipan.
Tudela told Variety that the USPS has maintained its “best operation” particularly in dealing with the carriers of its parcels and mail — Continental Micronesia Airlines and Matson Navigation in the Pacific region.
Tudela presided yesterday the Joint Christmas Operation meeting with postal service managers and executives from the Marshall Islands, the Federated State of Micronesia, Palau, Kosrae and the CNMI.
In preparation for the Christmas season, Tudela anticipate the volume of mail and packages to double starting next week.
“We want to make sure that Christmas goes smoothly and the customers can get their mail on time,” he said. “It’s better for the customers to mail it earlier so it can reach the destination earlier.”
Tudela also explained the policy implemented by U.S. Customs to ensure the safety of packages.
Each island jurisdiction has its own rules and regulations on customs.
The CNMI, he added, has adopted U.S. regulations which require that first class mail is processed on time.
But questionable packages are put aside and examined or even opened after authorities have secured a search warrant.
He said mail going to the U.S. from the CNMI is subjected to an C-ray by U.S. Customs in Hawaii.
“It must be cleared at the first entry point to the U.S. before it is delivered to the customer,” Tudela said. He didn’t discount the possibility that some packages may get lost along the way because “sometimes there are people that do things that are not supposed to be done.”
The USPS, however, is doing its best to correct problems and was able to arrest one person in Hawaii responsible for the lost of a package, Tudela said.
The UPSP handles 40 percent of the mail and packages worldwide, and was able to accommodate 22 billion parcels last year, he said.
Yesterday’s meeting was attended by USPS Honolulu plant manager Glen Sakagawa Sr.; USPS Honolulu/Washington operations analyst Randall Subol; Brian Wessling, Continental Micronesia Airlines, Guam directorairport/cargo operations; Sam Shinohara Continental, Guam finance director; Len Isotoff, Matson Navigation, Guam general manager; Steve Bassak, USPS Guam postal inspector; Hector Medina, Saipan postmaster, Midion Neth, Federated States of Micronesia postmaster general; Ponciano Materne, Palau postmaster general; and Heran Bellu, Marshall Islands postmaster general.
