The Seychelles Postal Services yesterday afternoon thanked and recognised seventeen of its staff for their long years of service, for having worked with the organisation for ten up to 39 years.
It was during a short ceremony at the STC conference room to coincide with World Post Day, on October 9, that the workers received their awards and token in the presence of board members, the management team and their colleagues.
At present, Robin Mousbe is the worker with the most years of service for having devoted 39 years of his life to the Seychelles Postal Services. He joined in February 1983 as a postman and was later transferred to Courier section as postman/driver in August 1988. He was promoted to senior driver in January 1990.
Speaking to Seychelles NATION, Mr Mousbe said he was referred to the post by his St Louis football coach at the time, Romeo Quatre, who was also in charge of the postal services.
“I remember there were so many letters at the time and we delivered around the island. I met a lot of people and it was and still is an interesting job. I know that now things are more digitalised, we receive fewer letters and we do not necessarily do that many deliveries but it is still an interesting career path,” said Mr Mousbe.
He encouraged younger people to join the service especially as postmen, which he said is being done by those with over thirty years of service.
As for Georgette Tirant, she has clocked 35 years with the postal service. Ms Tirant, joined in October 1987 as a counter clerk, and after working many years in the accounts section, being promoted to various posts, namely accounts assistant, accounts technician, she was given the new post of analyst international account in 2020, which she occupies to date.
“The biggest change I would say that has happened is the switch from manual to digital. When I started everything was done manually and today it is fully computerised but we are used to it. It’s been a good experience,” said Ms Tirant.
The other employees with long years of service are postman Andre Jumaye with 35 years; senior postal assistant Kathleen Lozaique, 33 years; and Nathaniele Michel with 32 years. Bruna Johnson is the postwoman with the longest years of service, after having worked there for 32 years. Both Antoine Bristol and Jules Zialor have spent 31 years at the postal services as senior postman.
The employee with 30 years of service is senior postman David Adeline, whereas Jerry Lozaique, Wilson Camille, both senior postmen and senior postwoman Jacqueline Brutus, have spent 25 years with the company.
The other employees who were awarded were Sharon Didon and Judanne Theresine for 10 years of service each as manager for customs support, quality of service and security and senior postwoman respectively.
Assistant postal controller Sylvette Pool and housekeeper Georgette Radegonde has worked with the organisation for 15 years, whereas assistant postal controller Georgette Jeanne has been with the company for 20 years.
At yesterday’s ceremony, the chief executive of the Seychelles Postal Services, Mariella Buisson thanked the employees and reiterated the organisation’s plan to review the way it works to make it more efficient.
Mrs Buisson said she has a hard-working team but needs more technological resources to better deliver.
“It is now that we are putting many systems in place, to have a more integrated system which will relieve pressure on our employees, because at present this is one of our biggest challenges,” said Mrs Buisson.
She added that the postal services’ scope of work has switched from letters to focus more on e-commerce, with the service now receiving around forty-thousand parcels monthly.
“We need to re-look at the way we work and I am calling on our team to adapt to the change and help each other in the transition, so that we can learn to do everything because now we are delivering fewer letters and handling mainly packages,” said Mrs Buisson.
The Seychelles Postal Services employs 105 people and Mrs Buisson added the company has a lot of prospects mainly in the field of e-commerce. Although she said the Covid-19 pandemic has set them back financially, the organisation is picking up slowly and will be fully-recovered in a few years. She is therefore encouraging those interested in the field to come forward and apply.
