TTPOST - "Handling Fee"

[spanish]

^ they problemly did not update site ?

There is an amendment to the Act where one line was changed. Passed in the House of Representatives on May 11, 2012.

http://www.ttparliament.org/legislations/a2012-06.pdf (Amendment)

[Mark!]

I have someting for them to handle here...

[maj. tom]

^ they problemly did not update site ?

There is an amendment to the Act where one line was changed. Passed in the House of Representatives on May 11, 2012.

http://www.ttparliament.org/legislations/a2012-06.pdf (Amendment)

THE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO POSTAL CORPORATION
(AMENDMENT) BILL, 2012

Explanatory Note
(These notes form no part of the Bill but are intended only
to indicate its general purport)

This Bill seeks to amend the Trinidad and Tobago Postal
Corporation Act, Chap. 47:02 (“the Act”) by removing the time
stipulation of twelve months for the vesting of property which was
under the direction and management of the Postmaster General
under the Trinidad and Tobago Post Act, Chap. 47:01.


Clause 1 of the Bill would provide the short title of the Act, for
which this is the Bill.


Clause 2 of the Bill seeks to amend section 61(1) of the Act, by
deleting the words “within twelve months of the commencement of
this section,”.





OK so what does this amendment have to do with handling fees?

If the people at TTPost cannot show you what the handling fee is for, or any documentation or official notices, accuse them right there of personally pocketing the money and stealing from people. Thus far, no one has justified this new handling fee.

[maj. tom]

This is the Trinidad and Tobago Post Act, Chap. 47:01, what was posted above was just a minor amendment to this. http://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/Laws2/Alphabetical_List/lawspdfs/47.01.pdf


Please feel free to go through this law and see if you can find anything about this new handling fee. There is a reference to an extra "handling" fee of $5 in section 78. Not $25. They are free to implement this any time, I don't mind, but $25 is not what the law said. However this fee is only applicable to items on which Customs Duties are applied.

Nothing is said about inflation or adjustment of currency since this Chapter 47 of the Postal Act was passed in 1980. Though that could have been covered in the complete Postal Act, which is as huge as a library first passed in 1938. Well now if my conclusions are correct, I do not mind paying the handling fee now. What is bothering me is that they did not inform the public, nor do they themselves know the law pertaining to this issue.






59.(1) There shall be charged and paid on every cash-on-delivery parcel, in addition to the postage and any other charges payable on such parcel, the following sums, that is to say:
(a) On every outgoing parcel a cash-on-delivery fee as follows: For each $50.00 or part thereof the trade charge… … … 80 cents and a despatch fee of … … 40 "
(b) On every incoming parcel a fee of…$2.00

78. In addition to any sum payable in respect of postage, customs duty or any other charge, the sum of five dollars shall be paid on each postal article received in Trinidad and Tobago from abroad and upon which Customs Duty is levied.

113.Within fourteen days after the date of notice of arrival of a foreign incoming parcel being served on him, any addressee of the parcel who fails to clear it from Trinidad and Tobago Post is liable to pay a demurrage fee of one dollar a parcel a day during the period the parcel remains at Trinidad and Tobago Post in excess of the fourteen days; but Trinidad and Tobago Post, in its discretion, may waive collection of this fee.



I guess the Postmaster General now noticed this in 2012 and decided to implement it to recoup the never-ending losses of a public postal system.

[spanish]

Well, if I understand it correctly, Section 59 is referring exclusively to cash-on-delivery parcels.

Also, isn't Section 78 the final step in the process to be observed in the situation being described through Sections 73 - 77, where the addressee refuses to collect a postal article on which Customs duty is due? In the instance that the parcel remains uncollected, one option is for TPOST to pay the duties due; and subsequently, recover the amount from the addressee.

I find it kinda strange that Section 78 is quite vague (unlike previous sections) as to who is "paying" and who is "being paid". Makes me think it shouldn't be considered by itself.

[maj. tom]

I'm not a lawyer.

[spanish]

Neither am I, but it does also say that any change in regulations must be available for purchase at any post office. That part of it was completely ignored.

All the workers know to do is give you attitude when you ask them why you have to pay the extra $25.

Oh, and the so-called "demurrage fee" is now stated as $1.50 on the parcel notice.

[spanish]

After numerous attempts (and as many delivery failure notices), I was finally able to email Customer Service at TTPOST. Here's the explanation I got regarding the "handling fee":

"Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for your Email

In answer to your query, the handling fee is charged by TTPost for processing of the package. This is done in accordance with the Universal Postal Union regulations.

The Universal Postal Union is the regulating body for post offices worldwide."

Sorry eh, but I really not accepting this lame reason. Lemme go and ask a few more questions.

[spanish]

Still waiting on the reply from TTPOST Customer Service re my last email. Was doing some further research and found out that the Universal Postal Union has published a Parcel Post Manual (updated to March 2012) which can be viewed online at this link:

http://www.upu.int/nc/en/activities/parcels/parcel-post-manual.html

Article 6/ Section D of the Parcel Post Manual gives some interesting information on charges.
---------------------------------
Section D

Charges, surcharges, exemption from postal charges
and methods of denoting prepayment
Article 6
Charges

1 The charges for the various international postal and special services shall be set by the member countries or their designated operators, depending on national legislation, in accordance with the principles set out in the Convention and its Regulations. They shall in principle be related to the costs of providing these services.

2 The member country of origin or its designated operator, depending
on national legislation, shall fix the postage charges for the conveyance of letter- and parcel-post items. The postage charges shall cover delivery of the items to the place of address, provided that this delivery service is operated in the country of destination for the items in question.

3 The charges collected, including those laid down for guideline purposes in the Acts, shall be at least equal to those collected on internal service items presenting the same characteristics (category, quantity, handling time, etc.).

4 Member countries or their designated operators, depending on national legislation, shall be authorized to exceed any guideline charges appearing in the Acts.

5 Above the minimum level of charges laid down in 3, member countries or their designated operators may allow reduced charges based on their national legislation for letter-post items and parcels posted in the territory of the member country. They may, for instance, give preferential rates to major users of the Post.

6 No postal charge of any kind may be collected from customers other than those provided for in the Acts.

7 Except where otherwise provided in the Acts, each designated operator shall retain the charges which it has collected.

[firstchoicett]

^ u real fighting them up Spanish ... You like a real Spanish

[spanish]

^ u real fighting them up Spanish ... You like a real Spanish

I being patient ... fighting ain't start yet.

[firstchoicett]

^ okay good luck.

[maj. tom]

After numerous attempts (and as many delivery failure notices), I was finally able to email Customer Service at TTPOST. Here's the explanation I got regarding the "handling fee":

"Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for your Email

In answer to your query, the handling fee is charged by TTPost for processing of the package. This is done in accordance with the Universal Postal Union regulations.

The Universal Postal Union is the regulating body for post offices worldwide."

Sorry eh, but I really not accepting this lame reason. Lemme go and ask a few more questions.

https://www.upu.int/en/contact.html

State the issue clearly. This extra handling fee suddenly appeared with the given explanation above, which means they either weren't doing it for some 30 years before this (the TT Postal Act Ch. 47 was passed in 1980), or are lying and just scamming us. Also state that this extra handling fee does not cover anything new or additional. Packages are still not delivered to the door and we still have to go out to various Post Offices to collect them.

Tell us the reply.

[spanish]

Still waiting on another reply from TTPOST Customer Service.

Will email the UPU.

[Stephon.]

^ u real fighting them up Spanish ... You like a real Spanish

[firstchoicett]

Serious u should c how them Spanish does b in the arena .

[spanish]

Another thing I forgot to mention. TTPOST puts a disclaimer at the end of the emails from their Customer Service Department. It reads as follows:

No employee or agent is authorized to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of TTPOST with another party by email. TTPOST will not accept any liability in respect of such communication, and the employee responsible will be personally liable for any damages or other liability arising. Any views or opinions presented in or implied by this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of TTPOST.

I was always of the impression that a customer service department always represented the organization. Then again, Lord knows what kinda "Mickey Mouse" business going on at TTPOST. Still no reply to my last email. Not really surprising.

[spanish]

No answer yet from the goodly Team Leader at TTPOST Customer Service Department. All I asked her was to point out to me where in the UPU regulations a handling fee is justified. I also asked her to point out the section in the Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation Act that justifies the handling fee.

Up to now, is just ... *crickets*

[KURMAman]

boi..jus tell ur family to not send packages with TTpost, and send it via a broker or one of those skybox companies... im sure it might actually be cheaper..

..but all props man..u rel fighting de system. BLOI SHOT

[maj. tom]

Can someone tell me where exactly is Popeye's in Chaguanas located? link me on a google map please?

Almost amusing story if it wasn't Trinidad: Package came for me at the Chaguanas TTPost exchange and they sent it to this popeye's location for me to pick it up along with the $25 handling fee and Customs duties to be paid there. Almost exclaimed a nettled "wtf" on the phone at that moment.

I asked why was it sent there, they said that's what they're doing now because they don't have enough room at the TTPost Chaguanas facility to store mail. If only the extra $25 handling fee was justified in that they delivered it to my door.






*sigh*
Ô Canada! Terre de nos aïeux
... Et ta valeur, de foi trempée...

[kurpal_v2]

^^ totally forgot this fee, but seems I was charged extra.


I was given the bill to pick up a package and didn't really read the bill, mom said it was $40 but I was charged $70. Already picked up the package so I have no remorse but be careful with these fees.

[Parvin]

Can someone tell me where exactly is Popeye's in Chaguanas located? link me on a google map please?

Almost amusing story if it wasn't Trinidad: Package came for me at the Chaguanas TTPost exchange and they sent it to this popeye's location for me to pick it up along with the $25 handling fee and Customs duties to be paid there. Almost exclaimed a nettled "wtf" on the phone at that moment.

I asked why was it sent there, they said that's what they're doing now because they don't have enough room at the TTPost Chaguanas facility to store mail. If only the extra $25 handling fee was justified in that they delivered it to my door.



*sigh*
Ô Canada! Terre de nos aïeux
... Et ta valeur, de foi trempée...

It's where the Puja store is just before the gas station before/under the flyover.

It's very easy to miss, I'm talking from experience.

Not sure if I got this right but it's almost on spot

10.514578, -61.406070

[maj. tom]

^^
ummmm...

[Parvin]

^^^

I know, I try back sumtin there

[maj. tom]

Alright, got it. Thanks.
Forgot what Chaguanas looked like.

[maj. tom]

Letter arrived on Friday 18th January 2013 stating that a package is at TTPost Valpark outlet and requires signature.

Usual Custom Duties and $25 handling fee. Ok We can live with that.
Went there today 22-Jan-2013 to collect package during some time off. Package arrived at Valpark TTPost outlet on 14th January 2013. TTPost has a new policy where the receiver pays $7 a day for every extra day after it arrives at the outlet for pickup, until 20 days, at which it is returned to sender. (return to sender after 20 days was always in place and quite normal).

Remember now, I received the notification on the 18th anyway. That's 7 days it was waiting at the outlet, including Sunday. Yep so the final bill for me came up to $25 Handling fee, $49 waiting fee and $9 duties. $83.

Item cost $15USD.
You all got that? A waiting fee. I was puzzled and wasn't gonna pay that so told them to return it. Maybe the worker at the outlet didn't read that policy correctly, but she showed me a TTPost stamp on the paper that said "$7 per day fee"
... or TTPost just trying another screw on the customer.

Wondering now, if the postman had delivered my mail extra late (this is common, to receive letter mail 10-15 days late, rather than regular 3 day delivery) how much I would have had to pay.
Do share your stories of this if it has happened to you.


So what's next TTPost? This one is truly ridiculous.

[STORM1234]

CSF COURIERS FTW!!!!
CSF COURIERS FTW!!!!
CSF COURIERS FTW!!!!
CSF COURIERS FTW!!!!
CSF COURIERS FTW!!!!
CSF COURIERS FTW!!!!
CSF COURIERS FTW!!!!
CSF COURIERS FTW!!!!
CSF COURIERS FTW!!!!