Public consultative meeting on implications of regulating postal services conducted
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) hosted a public consultative meeting on prescribing license categories and licensing procedures for postal service licensees earlier this week.
The consultative meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to understand the implications of regulating postal services in Namibia.
CRAN was established under the Namibian Communications Act (No. 8 of 2009), to provide regulation to postal services in addition to telecommunications, broadcasting and radio spectrum. However, since its inception in 2011, CRAN has not yet started regulating the postal and courier sector.
The categories for postal service license will be Public Operator Postal License; Private Operator Postal License; and Courier Service License. With regards to Nampost, they will be required to apply to the Authority for a public operator postal licence within 6 months from the date the Minister of Information Communication and Technology publishes a notice in the Gazette contemplated in section 95(2) of the Communications Act (No. 8 of 2009). The public postal licence which will be issued to Nampost, will be valid indefinitely.
“The objectives of these regulations are to prescribe postal service license categories and to regulate the issue, amend, transfer and renew of postal service licenses. In addition, the regulations are aimed at determining license fees, amending, transferring and renewing postal service licenses. These regulations will apply to all courier and postal service licensees”, said Festus Mbandeka, Chief Executive Officer at CRAN.
Moreover, the expedited pick-up and delivery of postal articles involving the transport of packages or documents from one place to another within Namibia or from Namibia to an international destination are deemed to be postal services for the purpose of Chapter VII of the Communications Act (No. 8 of 2009).
“Every person or organisation who before the commencement of these regulations was rendering courier services in Namibia must, within 12 months after the commencement of these regulations, immediately apply to the Authority for a courier service license, if that person/organisation intends to continue rendering such courier services. Furthermore, anyone who after the commencement of these regulation intends to render courier services in Namibia must, subject to the provisions of these regulations, apply to the Authority for a courier service license,” said Mbandeka.
