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Yet again we consumers are not being afforded an accountable or transparent customer service by Maltapost, allied with reduced accessibility, insomuch as whenever a feast or national holiday remotely approaches a weekend the opportunity to suspend mail delivery and close branches is invoked without any justification or explanation, and with the full approval of the Malta Communications Authority (MCA).

The latest offering of an inexplicable reduction in public service comes today and is apparently in honour(!) of the national holiday which falls on Monday. This unwarranted failure to have a delivery or have branches open to the public is a common recurring theme of late and has become noticeably prevalent since privatisation of the Post Office.

It assumes the mantle of irresponsible and unacceptable availability when consideration is given to the core value guidelines of the MCA as the entity tasked with overseeing and monitoring Maltapost's performance and activities.

The key elements of Maltapost's Universal Service Obligation revolve around the fundamental values relating to Accessibility (including branches open to the public), Daily Delivery and the Provision of Information, all of which are enshrined in doctrine published by the MCA. I would ask how are these first two noble values being achieved given the inexplicable closure of branches and non-delivery of mail whenever a holiday occurs approaching a Saturday (not actually on a Saturday, please note!)

One may cynically assume that the aforementioned values possibly become extraneous and inconsequential when consideration is given as to whether or not Maltapost staff are being paid to take what is in effect forced leave, and whether or not any unions representing such staff were involved or consulted prior to this decision to deny the public of a basic and vital consumer service.

I venture to suggest that rather than considering the needs of the public in this iniquitous strategy deployed by Maltapost, with the unacceptable assent of the MCA, financial considerations have come to the fore along with lack of accountability or justification for such action failing to be divulged.

I call upon the MCA and Maltapost to abide by the principle components as outlined in the Service Obligation edict and not chose willy-nilly to offer services whenever it suits them due to seemingly considering financial aspects as opposed to masquerading behind the needs of the people.