Point Fortin first in T&T to adopt new postal code

Addresses that include light pole numbers, mile posts or the phrase “corner of” will soon be things of the past.   

The T&T Postal Corporation (TTPost) is rolling out the international S42 Addressing Standard throughout the country. 

So said Public Utilities Minister Nizam Baksh on Wednesday at a function at Point Fortin Town Hall to mark the completion of postal codes and S-42 addressing standards within the borough, a first in T&T.

The S42 is an international addressing standard used by members of the Universal Postal Union.

“Many of our business and residential addresses regularly include features such as lamp pole numbers, street addresses without a building number, lot numbers and mile markers and the phrase ‘corner of’ as means of identification.  

“Such elements may be easily understood by those living in a community, but they not only make mail delivery tedious, but can also slow down the response of fire service and ambulance personnel who are responding to an emergency in the area.  

“The introduction of this upgrade to how we create our addresses is therefore not only timely, but necessary, for the continued development of T&T and its postal service,” Baksh said.

He said the focus of the address improvement pilot project in Point Fortin involved assigning and re-assigning house numbers, naming streets and communities, and putting up street signs.

Building on a recent house-renumbering exercise undertaken by the corporation, he said TTPost lent its expertise to ensure the improved addresses now carried a building number, street name, community name, postal district, postal code and country name. 

“The bottom line is that the company can look forward to a likely increase in postal revenue with their improved ability to process a larger volume of international business mail,” Baksh said.

He said efforts were also ongoing to raise public awareness of the S42 Addressing Standard and the associated postal codes, and would be expanded in the coming months, as the standard took effect. 

TTPost’s chairman Anthony Moore said  when implemented the international address templates will reduce the amount of undelivered local and cross-border mail.

Mayor Clyde Paul said he was proud Point Fortin was chosen by TTPost for the pilot project.