Maltapost and monopoly

More and more often, when attempting to purchase items from abroad, I am told that they will not send to Malta, as the postal service is considered to be a risk, is insufficient, and it is therefore not worth their while, as the perception is that more often then not the item will not be received. I have printed out one such response, which I wanted to pass onto Maltapost, to obtain their reaction.

Recently too, I telephoned Maltapost to ascertain why it is that there is either no delivery on a Monday, or very little. I was informed that this is actually true, and the reason given was the fact that they work on a Saturday! Well, welcome to the real world, where it is not unheard of to be working on Saturdays. This does not justify a delay at the start of the next working week.

Of course some may say, long may the above continue, as local businesses suffer due to, in particular, internet purchases. Well, again, welcome to the real world. Why should it be acceptable for citizens of Malta to be the subject of "monopoly mentality" and pay way over the odds, when items can be obtained for literally half the price by shopping online.

As an example, I can purchase a music CD for £10.99 delivered. The CD can be pre-ordered, and therefore be received on the date of release. The same CD may not be available for weeks in Malta, and cost around Lm13.

Malta should embrace competition, and Maltapost should provide an adequate service, which does not necessitate having to incur additional personal cost to pay for International Signed For, as an insurance that items will actually be received. This is another little Maltapost line, where they think everything should be sent via International Tracked Delivery. Why? It is perfectly acceptable to expect that an item mailed with the correct postage stamps is delivered; why is it considered with less regard than an item which has been mailed with International Signed For? This should be used when an item is particularly valuable, and perhaps where there is a specific timeframe to adhere to.

Maltapost must do what is expected of them.