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SCMP Reporter

Name: Tam Wing-pong
Occupation: Postmaster General
Star sign: Leo
On my playlist: Classical
Hobbies: Reading, listening to music and watching operas
The Man:  Before I started working at the Post Office, I didn't know much about what was involved, other than being able to post a letter.
I wasn't even interested in philately - back then you had to have stamps to trade with others, but I didn't have money to buy stamps, and I didn't have families or friends living overseas who could write me letters.
However, I had been sending letters for many years, because students used to have letter-writing courses when I was at school. So I had some pen pals. I don't remember when I wrote my first letter but it was many, many years ago.
After I left school, I lived and worked in London for two years. I made some friends there and I wrote to them.
The internet has become so convenient and efficient, I write fewer letters now.
But a written letter is very different from a typed e-mail. You need to put more thought into writing a letter.
I have a large pile of letters I've received from friends and families over the years.
Getting a letter in the post, with a hand-written address and a Post Office chop on the stamp, reminds you how much effort was made and how much your friend must want to keep in touch.
The internet is great, but when you receive a Christmas greeting from your friend and you see it's been sent to 40 different e-mail addresses,  it doesn't feel as special.
Influences: Writing letters was a large part of my upbringing and education.
However, there aren't so many letter-writing courses now, so I really have no idea how the younger generation feels about letters.
I hope to encourage more students to write at least a few letters every year. I wouldn't call it a mission, but I think writing letters should continue to be common practice. E-mails should not completely take over the role of letter-writing.
New technology  replaces the old, so it is inevitable that e-mail will be used for interpersonal communication because it's so efficient.
But written letters still reflect your sincerity in wanting to get in touch with the recipient.
Postal services are still in demand, and lately more and more people have been making use of them.
Vision for the future: At the Post Office, we want to ensure we provide efficient postal delivery services.
I hope people will revert to communicating by letter in the future. At the very least, I hope people will decide to write a card or a letter to their friends and family during important holidays like Christmas.
More than 90 per cent of letters posted are of a commercial nature. I hope more people will start writing to each other for personal reasons. It would be great if each person wrote at least five or six letters a year.
discuss
Do you think people should write letters, instead of e-mails, to their friends and relatives abroad? Why?



Letters get the stamp of approval