Hongkong Post examines how to collect unpaid postage following criticism from auditor
Study follows audit report that found unpaid or underpaid letters were still getting delivered
A study into how to collect unpaid or underpaid postage is set to be completed early next year, according to the postmaster general. The study was started after an audit report found that 86 per cent of such letters posted in a test were delivered without being questioned.
Postmaster General Jessie Ting Yip Yin-mei agreed that there was room for improvement in Hongkong Post's operations and management, after the government spending watchdog pointed out problems with underpaid mail and overtime work by postal staff.
"We've strengthened the mechanism used to detect such [unpaid or underpaid] mail. As for how to reclaim the outstanding fees, we are currently conducting research on how such a system could work within the limited resources available," said Ting.
A Hongkong Post spokeswoman later said the objective of the review was to enhance control over underpaid mail items with proportionate resources.
"The review will take into account the operational feasibility and the administrative costs involved when formulating appropriate measures to recover the underpaid amount," she said.
The audit report slammed Hongkong Post's stamp-checking mechanism for failing to detect letters with no stamps or insufficient postage. It recommended that the mail service provider find ways to protect its revenue and adopt better stamp-checking procedures.