St. Maarten to host key regional postal summit, BTP outlines bigger role in mail

GREAT BAY--St. Maarten will host more than 35 delegates for the Strategic Postal Business Meeting, a gathering of postal leaders from the Americas, Spain, and Portugal. In a preview on The Breakfast Lounge with Lady Grace, Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten officials, Interim Director Judianne Hoeve and Chief Corporate Development Officer Ryan Wijngaarde, explained why the event matters and what the local post can become.

Hosting the summit gives St. Maarten a direct voice in regional decisions that shape service standards, pricing models, data compliance, and cross border delivery. Hoeve said the goals are to raise public and government awareness of what a modern post can deliver, and secure practical steps that rebuild capacity on island.

Delegates begin arriving November 3 and 4. In partnership with the tourism office, BTP will offer short island tours that highlight logistics realities, cross border movement with the French side, and the needs of a small market that serves residents and visitors. The two day program will focus on:

• Ecommerce and small parcel growth, with attention to customs data and customer experience

• Last mile delivery for pharmacies, small retailers, and government documents

• Regional interconnection, routing, and service level agreements

• Compliance, including security screening and item level data standards

• Technology adoption, from track and trace to automated sorting

Expected outputs include a short set of recommendations for St. Maarten’s postal roadmap, two pilot concepts for last mile services, and a list of technical priorities that can be started within twelve months.

Hoeve also challenged the idea that the post is obsolete. In many markets, postal operators now compete directly with private couriers on price and coverage. The plan is to restore that option here. That means:

• Business delivery, pharmacies and clinics can use the carrier network to deliver prescriptions, records, and supplies

• Small business support, island wide delivery for shops and food vendors at predictable rates

• Consumer parcels, online orders delivered through the post at a lower cost than premium courier rates

• Government services, secure delivery of passports, certificates, and notices

Revenue diversification is central. Examples from Curaçao and Aruba will be adapted to local demand: utility bill payment at the counter, pension disbursement, ticket sales, and limited financial services that meet compliance rules. To deliver these services, the post needs a proper downtown facility with:

• Separate customer areas for retail, finance, and pickup

• Storage that meets customs and health standards, including cold chain space

• A staffed customs desk for faster clearance and better security

• Basic automation for receiving, sorting, labeling, and track and trace

BTP have also launched a primary school stamp design contest. The winning design will be issued as a commemorative stamp next year. Hoeve noted that stamps can document local history, which many countries use to build public interest and education.

Modern postal operations rely on data and automation. Robotics and digital workflows reduce handling errors, improve screening, and lower contraband risk. For outbound items, St. Maarten must align with item level customs data and security pre-advice used by major destinations. The near term technology plan will include:

• Electronic advance data capture at the counter and online

• Simple track and trace for parcels and registered letters

• Barcode based receiving and sorting to cut misroutes

• Basic automation for repetitive tasks in the back office

• Training and standard operating procedures so processes are consistent

These steps will be phased in over several years, with clear milestones, budget estimates, and vendor options. BTP will publish the priority list and report progress each quarter.

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