Post Men

Feb 06, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is boosting is postal service with thousands of new postmen, the country's outgoing posts minister said. Former posts and telecommunications minister D M Jayaratne, who was replaced in a recent cabinet re-shuffle, said Sri Lanka post had received state approval to recruit 5,000 postmen and 4,000 substitutes.

The postal services will also get 10,000 bicycles, Jayaratne said at the assuming of office of the new post minister, Rauf Hakeem from the minority Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.

Hakeem received the Post and Telecommunications portfolio as part of a mammoth 54, ministerial portfolios dished out by the government to win opposition members to its side.

Hakeen assumed office Monday, a day after 59th anniversary of independence of Sri Lanka.

Jayaratne said Sri Lanka post was also on track to end printing of stamps abroad.

The annual demand of 345 million stamps will be met by the government printer from July 2007, he said.

In 2005 the postal service reported an operating deficit close to 1.6 billion rupees.

In 2006 it was expected to climb up to two billion ru