FSM Post Office in Chuuk erroneously posts notice saying it cannot carryout outbound mail to the US
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- Category: News
- Published: Monday, 30 November -0001 00:00
- Written by Bill Jaynes
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By Bill Jaynes
The Kaselehlie Press
September 18, 2020
Weno, Chuuk—On September 15, a notice appeared in the window of the FSM Post Office in Weno, Chuuk saying that until further notice it could only accept outgoing mail to Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Majuro. No explanation was given on the printed notice.
FSM Postmaster General Ginger Mida was on official travel when the FSM shut its borders due to COVID-19 and has been unable to return since then. When we asked about the notice, she said that she was shocked to hear about it and would call the Chuuk Post Office the next morning to find out what was happening and would get back to us.
When she was able to return our call after gathering information, she said that the Chuuk Post Office Post Master had violated protocol by placing the notice without proper clearance to do so. She said that she was sorry for the people who saw the notice which has since been removed.
There was indeed a problem, but even on the day that the notice was posted at the Chuuk Post Office, outbound mail to the US and other places besides those listed on the notice was able to move onward.
Mida said that United Airlines and their contractors require US Postal Service (USPS) authorized Delivery and Receipt (D&R) information on mail that it carries. A new scanning machine was installed which prints the D & R tags after electronic transmission to the USPS. Sometimes, due to the time differences between the FSM States and Hawaii, USPS receives the transmission too late for action and so the machine cannot print the authorized D&R tags that must accompany all postage bound for the US.
She said when that happens, the FSM Post Offices can fill out a “Form 2729” which lists the date, weight, trip number, and clerk initials. United or its contractors can carry the mail as long as that form is filled out. It’s what happened on the day that the notice limiting outbound freight appeared at the Post Office in Weno.
Mida said that USPS is aware of the glitch and hopes to have a solution to it in place soon. Meanwhile, outbound postage from the FSM to the US is still traveling unhindered.
