June 19, Colombo: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued an Extraordinary Gazette notification proclaiming Sri Lanka’s Postal Service as an essential service from Friday, 18 June 2021.

The President has issued the Extraordinary Gazette notification No. 2232/40 in accordance with the Essential Public Service Act No 61 of 1979.

The President, considering that that the services provided by the Postal Department are "essential for the conduct of ordinary public life and considering the possibility of any hindrances or disruptions in the provision of such services and the fact that Health and Security Services are continuing to provide quarantine and other related services in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as taking into account the facts mentioned in the guidelines issued by the Director General of Health Services on COVID-19 prevention.”

Accordingly, acceptance and delivery of local and foreign letters, printed materials and parcels, provisions of postal related information, registered letters cash on delivery (COD), local and foreign Express Mail Service (speed post/EMS), special services of delivery of pharmaceuticals and money transactions and all other activities relating to the postal services in operation under the Postal Department, should be carried out efficiently and continuously.