Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697639313685.pdf (Bahamas)
CH.300 – 12] POST OFFICE S.I.

75/1982.

S.I 30/1986.

G.N.

54/1949 G.N.

163/1950 G.N.

153/1953 G.N.

198/1961 G.N.

20/1963 G.N.

85/1963 S.I.

41/1966 S.I.

70/1966 S.I.

44/1967 S.I.

22/1974 S.I.

50/1974 S.I.

76/1975 S.I.

77/1982 S.I.

7/1986 S.I.

27/1990 S.I.

88/1990 S.I.

93/1996 Title.

Hours of business.

(2) A presentation to Customs fee of 80¢.

in respect of each letter post packet or 50¢.in respect of each parcel shall be payable together with a handling charge of 30¢.
for each parcel delivered.

(3) A delivery fee of 30¢.

shall be charged for each Cash on Delivery parcel delivered.

POST OFFICE RULES (SECTION 45) [Commencement 12th, March, 1949] 1.

These Rules may be cited as the Post Office Rules.

PART I HOURS OF BUSINESS 2.


The General Post Office is opened — (a) from 9.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily except on Saturdays (when the hours are 9.30 a.m. to 12 noon), from 15th April to 15th December, and from the 16th December to 14th April from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except Fridays when the office closes at 3 p.m. and on Saturdays when the office closes at 12 noon); (b) on Sundays and public holidays only when necessary; (c) at other hours when necessary for the delivery of and despatch of mails.
STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 13 PART II SALE OF STAMPS, ETC.

3.

Stamps, envelopes and post cards for the use of the public are sold at the General Post Office, stamp depots, branch offices and interinsular offices.

Sales of stamps.

4.

All stamps sold by the post office are inscribed “Postage” and are available for use in payment of postage and for all instruments chargeable with stamp duty.

Stamps may be used for postage or revenue.

5.


Postage stamps whether adhesive, embossed or impressed, which have been obliterated, defaced, torn, cut or otherwise rendered imperfect or which have any word, letter, figure or design written, printed or impressed upon them otherwise than by the authority of the Government before posting or which have been cut or otherwise separated from embossed or impressed envelopes, letter cards, post cards or wrappers, cannot be used in payment of postage.
Spoilt or defaced stamps.

6.

The special registration envelopes provided by the post office bearing embossed stamps denoting the registra- tion fee, etc., may not be used for the transmission of unregistered postal articles.

Registered envelopes not to bused for unregistered postal articles.

7.
7.

The using for the payment of postage or postage fees, of a stamp that has already been used for that or any other purpose, with intent to cause loss to the Govern- ment, is an offence punishable under the Post Office Act.

Use of used stamps an offence.

PART III LETTERS AND POSTCARDS 8.

(1) The principal rates of postage on all letters are fixed by Order and may be ascertained on enquiry.

Provisions relating to letters.


(2) A letter posted unpaid or insufficiently prepaid is forwarded to its destination and on delivery charged with double the deficiency.

(3) An unpaid or insufficiently prepaid letter from a place abroad is charged double the deficient postage; the minimum charge is two cents.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 14] POST OFFICE 5 of 1987, s. 2.
5 of 1987, s. 2.

G.N.

153/1953.

(4) An unpaid or insufficiently prepaid local or interinsular letter is only charged with the deficient postage; the minimum charge is two cents.

(5) The limit of weight of a letter or postal package sent by letter mail to all countries is 41bs.

The limits of size are — Countries of the Commonwealth, 2 feet in length and 18 inches in width or depth.

All other countries, 3 feet in length, width and depth combined, the greatest dimension not to exceed 2 feet.
In all cases of letters in the form of a roll, the length and twice the diameter combined may not exceed 3 feet 3 inches nor the greatest dimension 2 feet 8 inches.

(6) Letters handed to any master of any out island mail vessel for transmission by post instead of being posted at the post office shall in addition to the ordinary rate of postage be subject to an additional rate of two cents to be prepaid in stamps.
(7) Remittances accompanying orders for postage stamps must be in the form of a postal money order, bank draft, British postal order or bank money order made payable to the Postmaster of The Bahamas.

(8) Remittances in any other form will be returned to the sender.

(9) Remittances must not be addressed to any individual member of the post office staff.
(10) Members of the post office staff will not comply with requests to affix stamps to letters or to cancel stamps which have not been affixed to letters or other items entrusted to the post office in the normal manner.

(11) Stamped envelopes sent the Postmaster General or to any member of the post office staff for cancellation and posting or return in some other manner will be sent back unserviced.
to (12) Envelopes bearing the appropriate postage stamps which have accompanied orders for unused stamps will be used for the purpose for which they have been provided and the stamps affixed thereto will be cancelled.
(13) Members of the post office staff will not take stamps at request from any special portion of a sheet or STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 15 post letters sent to them for this purpose by members of the public or in any other way act as agents for dealers or collectors.

(14) Members of the post office staff will not accept standing orders for the supply of new issues or new printings of postage stamps, or any similar orders, from dealers or collectors.
(15) “Postage Due” labels will not be sold over the counter.

The Postmaster-General may execute orders received through the post for the supply of blocks of “Postage Due” labels.

(16) Members of the post office staff will not address first-day covers or affix stamps to such covers or make any special arrangements for the cancellation of stamps on such covers.

Any persons wishing to have first-day covers posted to them should appoint their own local agents to act on their behalf.
The post office staff will not take the responsibility of recommending any private person or firm to undertake these services.

9.

(1) The prepaid rates of postage are fixed by Order and may be ascertained on enquiry.

Provisions relating to postcards.

(2) The material for private cards to be used as post cards must be cardboard of a make similar to, but not thinner than, that used for cards issued and sold by the Postmaster-General for use as post cards.
They may not exceed 5 7/8 inches in length by 4 1/8 inches in width or be less than 4 inches in length by 2 3/4 inches in width.

(3) Postcards must bear on the face the heading “Carte Postale” or the equivalent of this heading in another language.

This heading is, however, not obligatory for single postcards of private manufacture.

(4) A postcard must be sent unenclosed, that is to say, without wrapper or envelope.
(5) The postage stamps should, as far as possible, be affixed to the upper right hand corner of the addressed side.

The address of the recipient as well as indications relating to the postal service (registered, advice of delivery, etc.,) must likewise appear on the address side of which the right hand half at least is reserved for these indications.

The sender may make use of the back and of the left hand half of the address side subject to the provisions of the following paragraph.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 16] POST OFFICE (6) It is forbidden to adjoin or attach to a postcard any sample of merchandise or similar article.
Nevertheless an illustration, a photograph, a stamp and address label or slip to fold back for address purposes or a cutting of any kind may be affixed, provided that it is not of such a nature as to alter the character of the postcard, that it consists of paper or other very thin substance and that it adheres completely to the card.

With the exception of address labels or slips these articles may be affixed only to the back or to the left hand of the address side of the postcards.
Stamps of a kind liable to be mistaken for postage stamps may be affixed only to the back of the postcard.

(7) Reply paid postcards must bear on the face, as heading of the first half, the words “Carte Postale avec réponse payée”; on the second half “Carte Postale réponse”.

Each of the two halves must comply with the other conditions laid down for single postcards; the one half must be doubled over the other so that the fold forms the upper edge and they may not be closed in any way.
(8) The sender of a reply paid post card may indicate his name and address on the face of the reply half, either in writing or by affixing a label; this address must be on the inside.

He may also print, on the back of the reply half, a questionnaire to be filled up by the addressee.

(9) A reply half is available for transmission to the country of origin and to that country alone, provided that it was in the first instance received attached to the other half.
If these conditions are not complied with it is treated as an unpaid post card.

An ordinary international postcard of one country posted in another is treated as an unpaid postcard.

(10) If any of the foregoing rules relating to postcards be infringed the card will be treated as a letter unless it is eligible for transmission as a printed paper.

PART IV SMALL PACKETS Postage on and limit of size and weight, etc., in relation to small packets.

10.
10.

(1) Small packets are intended to afford facilities for the transmission of articles of merchandise and are despatched in the same mails as printed papers; the rates of postage are fixed by Order and may be ascertained on enquiry.

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 17 (2) Dutiable articles may be enclosed in small packets; but otherwise the prohibitions applicable to the letter post apply also to the service of small packets.
In addition the following are specifically excluded from transmission in small packets — Letters, notes or documents having the character of actual and personal correspondence (this prohibition does not apply to open invoices reduced to the simplest form, the address of the article and the sender’s address); coin, banknotes, currency notes, negotiable instruments payable to bearer, platinum, gold or silver, manufactured or not; precious stones, jewels and other valuable articles, postage stamps whether obliterated or not.
(3) Small packets containing dutiable articles are subject to the customs regulations in the country of destination; and a postal fee for customs clearance may be charged on each packet on which customs is levied.

(4) Small packets are subject to the regulations laid down for samples of merchandise as regards form, make p and packing (e.g.

they must be sent in such a manner as to be easy of examination).
In addition the name and address of the sender must be shown on the outside of the packet; and each packet should be conspicuously marker “small packet” in the left hand top corner.
(5) A green label giving particulars of the contents for customs purposes, such as that in use on letter packets containing dutiable articles for places abroad must be affixed to the address side of each packet; and in addition if the country of destination so requires; one or more ordinary non-adhesive customs declaration forms must be enclosed in the packet.

(6) Small packets may be posted in a posting box or handed over the counter.

They may be registered but not insured.

PART V PAPERS 11.
PART V PAPERS 11.

(1) The prepaid rates of postage on printed papers or books for all places abroad are fixed by Order and may be ascertained on enquiry.

Postage on books, newspapers and magazines.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 18] POST OFFICE S.I.

70/1966.

; S.I.

44/1967; S.I.

50/1974.

(2) (a) Books posted for delivery within The Bahamas are free of postage.

5 of 1987, s. 2.
5 of 1987, s. 2.

(b) Newspapers and magazines are liable to the rates of postage stipulated in the Post Office (Postage Rates) Order.

(3) It is permissible to enclose in the same package printed matter, except “Blind literature”, commercial papers and samples, subject to the following conditions — (a) that each article taken singly does not exceed the limits which are applicable to it as regards rate and size; (b) that the total weight does not exceed 4lbs.
per packet if addressed to a foreign country or 5 lbs.

per packet if addressed to a place in the Commonwealth; (c) that the minimum charge is 5 cents, if the packet contains commercial papers and 2 cents if it consists of printed matter and samples.
(4) The undermentioned are considered as printed papers and allowed to pass as such at the reduced postage — Newspapers and periodical works, books sewn or bound; pamphlets, sheets of music (excluding perforated sheets intended to be used with automatic musical instruments), visiting cards, address cards, proofs of printing with or without the relative manuscript, engrav- ings, photographs and albums containing photographs, pictures, drawings, plans, maps, catalogues, prospectuses, advertisements and notices of various kinds, printed, engraved, lithographed or mimeographed and in general, all impressions or copies obtained upon paper, parchment or cardboard by means of printing, engraving, lithography, mimeography or any other mechanical process easy to recognise except the copying press hand stamps with or without movable type and the typewriter.
(5) Reproductions of a manuscript or typewritten original when they are obtained by a mechanical process are treated like printed papers.

(6) It is also allowed to indicate or to add by hand or by a mechanical process on pictorial cards and printed visiting cards and also on Christmas and New Year cards, good wishes, congratulations, thanks, condolences or other formulae of courtesy expressed in five words or by means of five conventional initials at most.
STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 19 (7) A card bearing the head “Post Card” or the equivalent of this inscription in any language is allowed to pass at the rate for printed matter provided that it conforms to the general conditions set out above.
(8) The undermentioned articles are excluded from transmission from the rate applicable to printed papers — Postage stamps, whether obliterated or not, blank paper, note paper or envelopes (with or without printed address) and all other articles of stationery pure and simple.
(9) Commercial papers comprise all papers and all documents wholly or partly written or drawn not having the character of an actual and personal correspondence, such as open letters and out of date post cards which have already fulfilled their original purpose, papers of legal procedure, documents of all kinds drawn up by public functionaries, way bills or bills of lading, invoices, certain documents of insurance companies copies of or extracts from deeds under private seals written on stamped or unstamped paper, musical scores or sheets of music in manuscript, the manuscript of works or of newspapers forwarded separately, pupils’ exercises in original or with corrections but without any note which does not relate directly with the execution of the work.
(10) The limit of size for commercial papers is the same as for letters.

The limit of weight is — Countries of the Commonwealth ......................5 lbs.

Foreign countries ..............................................4 lbs.

The limit of size for printed papers is the same as letters.

The limit of weight is 6½ lbs.

to all destinations.

The limit for a printed volume sent singly to all destinations is 11 lbs.
Printed matter sent unenclosed in the form of a card, whether folded or not, may not measure less than 4 inches in length by 2¾ inches in width.

(11) Packets of printed and commercial papers must be made up in such a way that they can be easily examined.

In order to secure the return of a packet which cannot be delivered the name and address of the sender should be printed or written outside.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 20] POST OFFICE Blind literature.

Samples.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

12.

Packets containing papers impressed for the use of the blind sent to any place abroad are accepted up to a maximum weight of 15 lbs.

The prepaid rate of postage may be ascertained on enquiry.

The packets should be clearly marked in the upper left hand corner “Blind literature”.
In all other respects the regulations regarding printed papers apply.

PART VI SAMPLES 13.

(1) The prepaid rate of postage on sample packets to all places abroad is two cents for the first 4 ozs.

and one cent per 2 ozs.

thereafter.

Under the regulations for the Postal Union sample packets must be fully prepaid.

Insufficiently prepaid sample packets from abroad will be chargeable on delivery with double the deficient postage.

(Minimum charge two cents.)


(2) With the exceptions specified below, the use of the sample post is restricted to bona fide trade samples or patterns of merchandise without saleable value.

Transmis- sion at the sample rate is also accorded to printers’ blocks, keys sent singly, fresh cut flowers, articles of natural history, etc., tubes of serum and pathological objects rendered innocuous by the mode of preparation and packing.
These articles, except tubes of serum sent in the general interest of laboratories or institutions officially recognised, may not be sent for a commercial purpose.

(3) No packet containing goods for sale or consigned in execution of an order (however small the quantity) can be forwarded by the sample post.

(4) The limits of weight of sample packets are — Countries of the Commonwealth ......................5 lbs.

Foreign countries ..............................................1 lbs.
The limits of size are — Countries of the Commonwealth, 2 feet in length and 1 foot in width or depth.

Foreign countries, 3 feet in length, width and depth combined; maximum dimensions in any one direction, 2 feet.

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 21 Packets in the form of a roll, the length and twice the diameter must not exceed 3 feet 3 inches, and the greatest dimension must not exceed 2 feet 8 inches.
(5) Samples must be sent in such a manner as to be easy of examination and when practicable must be sent in covers open at the end.

The upper left hand corner of the packet should be clearly marked “Samples”.

In view of the risk of other packets being entrapped when open covers are used, senders are reminded that “embarrassing” packets generally are prohibited from the post.
In order to secure the return of a packet which cannot be delivered the name and address of the sender should be printed or written outside.

PART VII REGISTRATION 14.

(1) The fee chargeable for registration to a place either in The Bahamas or abroad is fixed by Order and may be ascertained on enquiry.

Fee and conditions of registration.

(2) Anything intended for registration must be handed to an officer of the post office and a certificate of posting must be obtained.
Nothing intended for registration should be posted in a letter box and anything so posted bearing the word “registered” or any other word or phrase or mark to the like effect will be compulsorily registered.

(3) A postal packet of any kind intended for registration must be made up in a reasonably strong cover appropriate to its contents.

Letters and parcels must be fastened with wax, gum or other adhesive matter.
Whatever method of fastening or sealing be adopted it is essential that it should not be possible to remove any part of the contents of the letter or parcel without either breaking or tearing the case, wrapper or cover, forcing two adhesive surfaces apart or breaking the seals.

(4) The instructions respecting fastening and sealing do not apply to post cards or to printed paper and newspaper packets which must be opened for inspection whether registered or not.
(5) Any officer to whom a packet of any kind is tendered for registration is instructed to refuse to register it if the packing is, in his opinion, obviously inadequate; but ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 22] POST OFFICE the registration of a packet will not in itself be regarded as evidence of satisfactory packing and the post office assumes no liability as a consequence of the registration of a packet afterwards found to have been imperfectly packed.
(6) Letter or parcels with fragile contents should bear the words “Fragile with care” on the face of the cover above the address and the conspicuous presence of these words is one of the conditions of compensation for damaged or fragile articles sent by registered letter post.

(7) The address of any postal packet intended for registration must be clearly written in English in characters of ordinary use in The Bahamas.
(8) The sender’s name and address should be placed either in the upper left hand corner or on the back of any letter or packet intended for registration.

(9) The sender of any registered postal packet may arrange with the office of posting, either at the time of posting or subsequently for the advice of its delivery to be sent to him.

The fee, which is fixed by Order and is payable by means of stamps affixed by the sender to the packet or on a form provided for the purpose, may be ascertained on enquiry.
(10) Small packets, packets of printed paper, commercial papers and samples presented for registration must be made up in the manner prescribed for unregistered packets of these categories.

(11) No postal packet addressed in initials or in pencil is admitted to registration.

The address may be written in indelible pencil.

(12) The postage and registration fee on the registered packet must be prepaid.
(13) The Postmaster-General may grant to the sender or at his request to the addressee solely as an act of grace and not in consequence of any legal liability compensation up to a limit of eleven dollars and sixty cents for the loss of a registered letter or packet subject to the following conditions — (a) that the application for compensation shall be made within three months of the date of posting of the article in the case of loss of the article, and within one month of the date of delivery of the G.N.
163/1950.

; 5 of 1987, s. 2.

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 23 article in the case of loss of the contents.

The amount of compensation shall not exceed the actual amount of the loss; (b) that the decision of the Postmaster General on all questions of compensation shall be final.
(14) No compensation shall be paid in respect of — (a) any packet which has been lost through a cause beyond the control of the post office; (b) any packet which the post office cannot account for in consequence of the destruction of official documents through a cause beyond the control of the post office; (c) any packet containing a prohibited article.
PART VIII EXPRESS DELIVERY 15. Letters and parcels for the United Kingdom will, at the request of the senders, be delivered by special messenger immediately after arrival at the office of delivery.

Letters for the United States of America and New Zealand will be delivered in a similar manner.

Prepaid fees are fixed by Order and may be ascertained on enquiry.
Letters intended for express delivery should have affixed in the upper left hand corner a label (which can be obtained at the post office) bearing the word “Express” and handed to an officer of the post office and not posted in a letter box.

The express fee must be prepaid.

16.


The holder of an International Coupon received from a foreign country is entitled, on presenting it to any post office in The Bahamas to receive in exchange for it a postage stamp or stamps representing the amount of postage for an ordinary single-rate letter destined for a foreign country.

Rates of postage for express delivery.

International and Imperial reply Coupon.


The holder of an Imperial Coupon received from any country of the Commonwealth is entitled, on presenting it to any post office in The Bahamas, to receive in exchange for it a postage stamp or stamps representing the postage on a single-rate the Commonwealth.
to a destination within letter ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 24] POST OFFICE PART IX UNDELIVERABLE POSTAL PACKETS Return, detention or disposal of undelivered articles.

17.

(1) Undeliverable letters, post cards, small pack- ets, printed and commercial papers or samples returned to this country from places abroad are delivered to the senders on payment of any charges due.
Undeliverable printed papers of no value are not returned unless the sender, by means of a note on the outside of the packet, has asked for their return.

(2) An undeliverable packet if it bears on the outside the full name and address of the sender is returned direct and unopened.

Any other such undeliverable packet is opened by an officer deputed for the purpose; and if it contains the sender’s address is returned to him.
(3) Undelivered articles include all articles which cannot be delivered because the persons to whom they are addressed cannot be found, or because the addresses are so illegible or so imperfect that the places of destination cannot be ascertained.
(4) An undelivered postal article, the addressee of which cannot be found, shall ordinarily remain in the post office for a period of two months from the date on which it reaches the post office, provided that — (a) articles of which the addresses are so illegible or so imperfect that the place of destination cannot be ascertained are at once opened by the post office and returned to sender.
Articles which do not bear a definite address or are directed to initials or clearly fictitious names are treated in the same manner; (b) an undelivered postal article on which the words “Poste Restante”, “To await arrival” or similar instructions have been written will be returned to sender after a period of two months; (c) an undelivered postal article of which the addressee has refused to take delivery shall not be detained in the post office to which it was addressed.
(5) All undelivered letters originating in The Bahamas shall be opened and returned if possible to the senders provided that any letter so returned, if it contains anything of value, shall be charged with the registration fee.

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 25 Limits of size and weight.

If such letters contain neither the sender’s address nor any enclosures of value, they shall be destroyed.
If they contain any enclosure of value the enclosure shall be retained for a period of one year in the returned letter office and if on the expiration of that period no person has established to the satisfaction of the Postmaster-General his right thereto, the enclosure shall, if money, be credited to the post office and if not, shall be sold, the proceeds of the sale being credited to the post office.

PART X PARCEL POST, OVERSEAS 18.


(1) The limits of size (with the exception of parcels for the United States of America) are generally 31/2 feet in length, and 6 feet in length and girth combined.

The limits of size to the United States of America are as follows — Maximum length 4 feet.
Packages, up to 42 inches in length, must not exceed 6 feet in length and girth combined, packages over 42 inches and not over 44 inches in length, must not exceed 24 inches in girth; parcels over 44 inches and not over 46 inches in length must not exceed 20 inches in girth and parcels over 46 inches and up to 4 feet in length must not exceed 16 inches in girth.

(2) Parcels for the United Kingdom, British Hon- duras, Bermuda, Jamaica and the United States of America must not exceed 20 lbs.
Maximum weight for other countries may be ascertained upon enquiry at the parcel post branch.

(3) Parcels may be sent by express delivery to the United Kingdom.

(4) The rates on parcels, express, ordinary or insured, to all countries are fixed by Order and may be ascertained on enquiry at the parcel post branch.
(5) A parcel intended for insurance must be packed securely and substantially with due regard to the nature of the contents and the length of the journey, in an outer covering of cloth, canvas or other substantial material and must bear seals of wax or lead at intervals not exceeding 3 inches along each line of sewing or joint.

(6) All the seals affixed to any insured parcel must be of the same kind of wax or lead and must bear distinct impressions of the same private device.
The device must not be that of a current coin or merely a series of straight, curved or crossed lines.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 26] POST OFFICE (7) A parcel insurance must be intended for presented at the parcel post branch with the usual customs declaration prescribed for ordinary parcels and with the amount for which the sender wishes to be insured clearly written in words and figures, without erasures or correc- tion, on the cover.
(8) In the case of insurance to destination there will be payable to the sender or in default at the request of the sender to the addressee compensation not exceeding the amount for which the parcel has been insured for the loss of the parcel or its contents or for any damage caused to it in the course of transmission by post, provided that the compensation in no case exceeds the value of the article lost or the amount of the damage caused: Provided also that no compensation will be pay- able — (a) where the loss or damage has been caused by the fault or negligence of the sender or arises from the nature of the article such as liquid or articles of an exceptionally fragile nature; (b) where the insurance has been fraudulently made for a sum above the real value of the contents or there has been any other fraud on the part of the sender or the addressee; (c) where the insured article has been delivered to the addressee and he has signed and returned the receipt therefore; (d) where the sender or addressee has not given information of the loss or damage within twelve months from the date of posting; (e) where the loss or damage was due to improper packing; (f) where there was no visible damage to the cover or seals; (g) in cases beyond the control of the post office; (h) in cases where the parcel cannot be accounted for due to the destruction of official documents through causes beyond the control of the post office.
(9) The address should be written on the parcel itself and not merely on a label and at the time of mailing the STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 27 sender must state how the parcel is to be disposed of in the event of non-delivery.

More detailed information may be obtained from the parcel post branch.
(10) No compensation will be paid for damage to an article inadequately packed or to an exceptionally fragile article which from its nature cannot reasonably be expected to travel safely by post.

(11) No compensation will be payable in respect of a parcel containing a prohibited article.

(12) Articles prohibited to be sent by parcel post may be ascertained at the parcel post branch.

19.
19.

An arrangement for collecting from the addressee for remittance to the sender by special card money order is in operation between The Bahamas and the United Kingdom; the fee is four cents on each cash on delivery packet posted at Nassau and in addition a fee will be charged in the United Kingdom for the delivery service.

The maximum trade charge is one hundred and sixty dollars.

20.
20.

(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this rule, every parcel received from abroad shall be subject to the customs laws from time to time in force and shall be produced by an officer of the post office to an officer of customs who shall compare the contents of the invoice with the corresponding import entry and supporting documents, and the officer of the post office shall, if required to do so, open the parcel for customs examination.

Cash on delivery parcels.

5 of 1987, s. 2.


Incoming parcels to be examined by the customs.

S.I.

76/1975.

(2) No import entry shall be required in respect of goods which — S.I.

93/1996.
93/1996.

(a) are not to be sold or used in connection with any trade or business; (b) are to be sold or used in connection with any trade or business and which do not exceed five hundred dollars in value; (c) are trade or salesman’s samples and in the opinion of the Comptroller of Customs are of no commercial value; or (d) are printed books, newspapers, pictures or other products of the printing industry, manuscripts, typescripts or plans.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 28] POST OFFICE (3) Every parcel shall whenever possible, and every insured and cash on delivery parcel shall in all cases, be opened in the presence of the addressee or his agent.
(4) Where the contents of any parcel do not agree with a declaration made in respect thereof and it appears nevertheless to the officer of the post office and the officer of customs examining the said parcel that there was no intent to defraud in making such declaration, such officer may waive the forfeiture of such parcel and its contents.
(5) In any case where it appears to the officer of the post office and the officer of customs that there was an intent to defraud, the parcel and its contents shall be liable to forfeiture.

21.
21.

(1) Duty shall be charged and collected on the contents and value shown on the customs declaration affixed to a parcel; or (2) in cases of examination of the contents and value as determined by the officer of customs; or (3) in accordance with the invoice or other satisfac- tory evidence produced by the addressee or his agent.

22.
22.

Undeliverable parcels after the prescribed regula- tions of the International Parcel Post Conventions have been observed shall be sent by the Post Office Department to the Customs Department and the contents of such parcels shall be disposed of and the proceeds paid into the revenue.

23.
23.

With respect to claims for draw-back of duty on articles exported by parcel post — (a) the sender or his agent must fill up the prescribed form of draw-back application and must then present at the office of posting in the presence of the officer of customs the articles in respect of which he claims draw-back.
If the officer of customs is satisfied as to the identity of the articles he will cause the sender to make them up into a parcel and to address and post it in his presence; (b) the officer of customs will then complete and sign the claim for draw-back; Duty to be charged and collected on the contents.

Disposal of undeliverable parcels.

Claim for drawing back of duty.
STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 29 (c) in the case of dutiable articles returned from an out island for export by parcel post, the claim for draw-back shall be allowed on such proof of export as may be satisfactory to the Comptroller of Customs; (d) dutiable parcels intended for export by other than parcel mail shall be handed over to the customs by order of the addressee or his agents and shall be dealt with as provided by law relating to export of goods in bond.
24.

Parcels intended for delivery at an Out Island office shall be examined and contents valued by the commissioner or Out Island postmaster and any change in the contents or value as expressed on the customs declarations shall be certified to by an officer examining the parcels.

In all such cases the examining officer shall have all the powers herein conferred on the officer of the post office and customs in respect of parcels addressed to New Providence.

25.
25.

In the case of claims for the exemption of duties in respect of articles — (a) the product of The Bahamas; or (b) which have been sent away for repairs, the addressee or his agent shall certify in writing that the articles in question are the product of The Bahamas and have been imported within one year after the exportation or shall produce an invoice showing the cost of repairs or certify in writing as to the cost.

Duty will then be charged and collected on the cost of repairs.
Examination of parcels intended for Out Islands.

Claim for exemption of duties.

26.

The following articles are prohibited from im- portation into The Bahamas by parcel post — List of articles prohibited from importation.
Letter, foreign reprints of British copyright works, explosive and dangerous articles, base or counterfeit coin, fictitious stamps and any die plate or material for making such stamps; books, printed paper, drawings, paintings, prints, photographs or representations of any kind of a treasonable, seditious, immoral, or indecent character; articles infringing the trade mark or copyright laws; lottery advertisements; rags, shoddy, disused and filthy clothing in properly live animals except bees and bedding; constructed cases; plants, trees, bulbs, etc., unless accom- panied by a certificate that the same are free from disease.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 30] POST OFFICE Fee on cash on delivery parcels.

G.N.

198/1961.

; 5 of 1987, s. 2.

Indemnity for loss or damage.

G.N.

163/1950.

; 5 of 1987, s. 2.

Size and weight of domestic parcels.

Articles prohibited.

Personal communications prohibited.

Packets will be rejected.

27.


The delivery fee on cash on delivery parcels from the United Kingdom is twenty cents on each parcel.

The trade charge may in no case exceed one hundred and sixty dollars and must not contain a fractional part of a cent.

28.

Indemnity for loss or damage to an uninsured parcel, in the service between The Bahamas and the United Kingdom shall be on the following scale — $ ¢.

Not exceeding 3 lbs.

.................................................. 4.60 3 lbs.

up to 7 lbs.
up to 7 lbs.

....................................................... 7.00 Over 7 lbs.

up to 11 lbs.

.......................................... 11.60 Over 11 lbs.

up to 22 lbs.

........................................ 18.60 PART XI PARCEL POST, DOMESTIC 29.

There shall be admitted to the mails of The Bahamas articles of merchandise and mail matter (except post cards and written matter) of all kinds for transmission within The Bahamas but no packet may exceed 22lbs.
in weight or 3 feet inches in length in any direction or 6 feet in its greatest length and girth combined; and must be so wrapped or enclosed as to permit the contents to be easily examined by postmasters.

30.
30.

Poisons; explosive or inflammable substances; fatty substances; liquids and substances which easily liquify; live or dead animals, except dead insects and reptiles when thoroughly dried; fruits and vegetables; substances which exhale a bad odour; lottery tickets and advertisements or circulars; all obscene or immoral articles; articles which may in any way damage or destroy the mails or injure the persons handling them.

31.
31.

A letter of communication of the nature of personal correspondence must not accompany, be written on or enclosed with any parcel.

32.

If any such letter be found in a parcel, referred to in rule 30, the letter will be placed in the mail if separable and if the communication be inseparably attached, the whole package will be rejected.

If however any such parcel should be inadvertently forwarded the officer of delivery will collect double rate of postage.
STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 31 33.

No parcel may contain parcels intended for delivery at an address other than that borne by the parcel itself; if such enclosed parcels be detected, they shall be sent forward singly, charged with new and distinct post rates.

34.

Postage shall in all cases be required to be fully prepaid with postage stamps of The Bahamas.

35.
35.

The sender of every package must make a declaration posted upon or attached to the package upon a special form provided for the purpose giving general description of the parcel, an accurate statement of the contents, date of mailing and the sender’s signature and address.

36.

Upon request the sender may at the time of mailing the package receive a certificate of mailing from the post office where the package is mailed.

The fee is 5c.

for a certificate.

37.
If a package cannot be delivered as addressed or is refused, the sender will be communicated with through the Parcel Post Branch, Nassau, as to the manner in which he desires the package to be disposed of, and if no reply is received from him within a period of two months from the date of the notice the package may be sold for the benefit of whom it may concern; undelivered packages may be returned after the expiration of one month from the time of receipt to the sender, through the post office which originally received the same.
38.

An order for re-direction or re-forwarding must be accompanied by the amount due for postage necessary for the return of the article to the office of origin at the ordinary parcel rates and if to be forwarded to any country with which The Bahamas has a parcel post agreement, the sender must pay the rate applicable to that agreement.

39.
39.

When the contents of a parcel which cannot be delivered are liable to deterioration or corruption, they may be destroyed at once, if necessary, or if expedient sold without previous notice or judicial formality for the benefit of the person concerned, the particulars of each sale being recorded at the Parcel Post Branch, Nassau.

Enclosed for separate address prohibited.

Postage to be prepaid.

Declaration to be attached.

Certificate of mailing given.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

Unclaimed parcels may be sold.


Additional postage required for re-direction.

Parcels may be destroyed or sold.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 32] POST OFFICE Post office not responsible for loss.

40.

The post office will not be responsible for the loss or damage of any package and no indemnity can consequently be claimed by the sender or addressee.

Rates of postage.

41.


The rates of postage are fixed by Order and may be ascertained on enquiry.

PART XII AIR MAIL Air mail rates.

42.

Postal packets may be despatched by air mail to all countries.

The rates of postage are fixed by Order and may be ascertained on enquiry.

PART XIII MONEY ORDERS AND BRITISH POSTAL ORDERS Money orders and British postal orders.

S.I.

88/1990.

43.
S.I.

88/1990.

43.

Domestic money orders and money orders payable in the United States and Canada are ordinarily available from the post office, but may not always be available.

S.I.

88/1990.

S.I.

88/1990.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

(2) British postal orders are issued at the General Post Office, sub-post offices in New Providence and the Freeport sub-post office.
(3) The fee payable in respect of — (a) domestic money orders, is fifteen cents per every five dollars or part thereof; (b) money orders payable in the United States and Canada, is twenty-five cents per five dollars or part thereof; (c) British postal orders is — (i) (ii) fifteen cents, for each order ranging from the value of twenty-five pence to one pound; and twenty cents, for each order ranging from the value of two pounds to ten pounds.
(4) Bahamas postage stamps not exceeding two in number may be affixed to a British postal order in extension of value — (a) maximum of ten cents for orders up to ninety cents; (b) maximum of twenty cents for orders above ninety cents.

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 33 May sell Bahamian postage stamps.

S.I.

22/1974.

PART XIV STAMP VENDORS 44.

(1) All stamps sold to stamp vendors are to be paid for at the time of sale.
(2) Sales will be restricted to the values between 1c.

and 36c.

and not less than a sheet of one hundred stamps of any value will be sold to any stamp vendor.

(3) A commission of 5 per centum payable quarterly will be allowed to authorised vendors on the value of stamps purchased by them during the quarter.

(4) Stamps are to be sold to vendors by the Postmaster-General on every Thursday between the hours of 10 o’clock in the forenoon and 2 o’clock in the afternoon.
The Postmaster-General is authorised to sell at any other time should he see fit to do so.

(5) The stamp vendor must exhibit outside his shop a notice in large print: “Bahamas Postage Stamps for sale within”.

(6) The stamp vendor must at all times keep in stock an ample supply of stamps and must promptly attend to the demands of the public for such stamps during such hours as his shop may be opened for business.
(7) The stamp vendor must restrict his sales of stamps to persons who are desirous of using them for postal or revenue purposes.

In no case are stamps to be sold by him in execution of an order received from abroad.

(8) On making an application to be allowed to sell stamps the applicant must state that he will be governed by all rules and regulations relating to the sale of stamps.
(9) The Postmaster-General whenever authorised by the Minister may discontinue the sale of stamps to any authorised vendor and at any time cancel his right to sell stamps.

PART XV PRIVATE BOXES 45.

Private boxes where available, may be rented at post offices at the rate of $80.00 per annum for a large box, $50.00 per annum for a medium box and $30.00 per annum for a small box.

Rental of private boxes.

S.I.

88/1990.


––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 34] POST OFFICE S.I.

7/1986.

(2) The Post Office Department will not hold itself responsible for damage to the box or its lock, or for loss caused by negligence such as holders leaving their boxes open, or on combination, unless it can be shown that the damage was caused by the wilful act of an employee of the Department.
(3) No mail will be delivered out of any box by an employee of the Post Office.

Exceptionally, the Post- master-General may permit delivery from a private letter box by an employee on written instructions of the renter.

(4) Box rentals shall be paid annually in advance.


Any box rental remaining unpaid after the thirty-first day of January of the year in respect of which the same is due shall be deemed to be in arrear and the Postmaster-General shall have a right of action to recover such box rental without further demand.
(5) During the period from the said thirty-first day of January to the thirty-first day of March of the same year a person may be allowed to retain the box on payment of the rental and of a penalty of ten dollars.

(6) If the annual rental and penalty of ten dollars are not paid by the said thirty-first day of March, the right of the holder to use the box shall be subject to termination and the Postmaster-General may close the box and assign its use to any other person.
(7) The Postmaster-General may withdraw box facilities and refund rental calculated in full quarters of a year in accordance with paragraph (8) if there is a breach of any of the following conditions — (a) Boxes may not be transferred from one person to another without the approval of the Postmaster- General.

(b) A person, not being the renter, whose mail matter is addressed to a box, can obtain his mail only through the renter.
(c) Mail matter delivered to the box in error, or accidentally addressed to the wrong box, must be immediately posted, with words “Not for box ...” written thereon.

(d) Boxes may not be rented in a fictitious name or for an improper purpose.

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 35 (8) Boxes may be rented for periods of less than twelve months, beginning after the thirty-first of March of each year.
Fees will then be calculated in full quarters of the annual fee, any broken period as a full quarter.

PART XVI RECALL OF ARTICLES POSTED 46.

All postal articles which have not been dispatched from The Bahamas may be recalled when in course of transmission by post without reference to the consent of the addressee subject to the following conditions, namely — Postal articles may be recalled.
(a) no such postal article as aforesaid shall be re- delivered to the sender except by the permission of the Postmaster-General; (b) an application for the re-delivery to the sender of a postal article shall be presented in writing; (c) an application, other than in writing, shall be received only from the sender of the posted article in person; (d) every application shall be accompanied by a statement of the reason why the re-delivery is sought; (e) when the application is received a re-delivery may be made to the sender of the postal article upon being satisfied that the applicant is the sender and that sufficient reasons have been given for the re-delivery, otherwise the postal article shall be sent at once to its address; (f) a postal article in course of transmission by post shall not be re-delivered to anyone but the sender or some person authorised on behalf of the sender in writing.
PART XVII DELIVERY 47.

The delivery of a postal article at the house or office of the addressee or to the addressee or to his servant or agent or other person considered to be authorised to receive the article according to the usual manner of delivering postal articles to the addressee is deemed to be delivered to the addressee under the Post Office Act.

Delivery of postal articles defined.


––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 36] POST OFFICE Registered letters and parcel post packages will be delivered only at the post office window set apart for that purpose, intimation of the arrival being sent by the post office to the addressee.

PART XVIII DUTIES OF POSTMAN 48.


It shall be the duty of the postman to deliver postal articles, except registered letters and parcel post packages, to persons residing or having a known place of business on the Island of New Providence, but not including Paradise Island or adjacent cays, within a two mile radius of the General Post Office, or within such extended area as may be determined by the Minister.
The postman is forbidden to deliver any article on which any sum of money is due to the post office without receiving immediately payment of the amount due.

He is not bound to provide change.

49.

The addressee of an article is not bound to pay the amount due on it to the post office if he forthwith returns it unopened.

In this case he shall write the word “Refused” across the cover.
When a person takes delivery of an article on which any sum is due to the post office he must pay the amount marked upon it.

Any complaint of overcharge should be made to the postmaster to whom the article should be taken before being opened.

50.

If a person after taking delivery of an article on which any postage or other sum or customs duty is payable refuses to pay the amount marked as due, it shall be recovered from him in the same way as a fine imposed by the Post Office Act.
The post office has the power of withholding from him, until such charge be paid or recovered, any article addressed to him not being on Her Majesty’s Service.

51.

If the Postmaster-General is satisfied that any article described in the preceding rule has been maliciously sent for the purpose of annoying the person to whom it is addressed, he may remit the amount of postage charged upon it.

Postman to receive excess before delivery of article.

Refusal and acceptance of articles.


Remedy of post office for charges due.

Articles maliciously sent unpaid.

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 37 PART XIX POSTE RESTANTE 52.

(1) Where correspondence of any kind to be called for is taken in at the post office the words “To be called for” or “Poste Restante” should appear in the address.

Poste restante.
Poste restante.

(2) The poste restante is intended for the accommoda- tion of persons who intend to reside in The Bahamas for a period not exceeding three months.

(3) All persons applying for poste restante correspon- dence must furnish sufficient particulars to prevent mistakes and to ensure the delivery of correspondence to the person to whom it properly belongs.
(4) Poste restante correspondence, which bears a request for its return within a specified time (not exceeding two months), if not delivered, is dealt with in accordance with such requests.

53.
53.

The Government of The Bahamas is exempted by law from any liability arising by reason of loss, mis- delivery, delay of or damage to any postal article in course of transmission by post, except as far as such liability has been in express terms undertaken by the Government in the rules regarding registered and insured articles.
No officer of the post office incurs any legal liability for any such loss, misdelivery, delay or damage unless he has caused the same fraudulently or by his wilful act or default.

The Postmaster will refuse to admit any claim for payment of any loss incurred attributed to erroneous information given by a postal officer.

Legal responsibility of post office.

PART XX PACKAGING OF ARTICLES 54.


Every letter, packet or parcel has to be date stamped and is liable to pressure and friction in the mail bags and during transit.

All articles which are likely to suffer from stamping or pressure should be packed in strong covers.

The post office cannot take any special precaution to secure the safety of fragile articles.

Packing of postal articles.

55.


Every article should bear on the upper left hand corner the name and address of the sender in order that the post office may be able in case of non-delivery to return it unopened and without delay.

This is specially desirable in Sender’s address should be on upper left hand corner.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 38] POST OFFICE Complaints against post office.
Postal articles may be redirected.

the case of registered articles (whether letters or parcels) and unregistered parcels.

PART XXI COMPLAINTS 56.

(1) Complaints should in the first instance be addressed to the Postmaster-General; if the complainant is not satisfied with the action taken by the Postmaster- General, he should address the Minister for Finance.
(2) In all cases of loss of the contents of an article the cover or wrapper should accompany the complaint and a full description of the missing contents should be given.

In all cases of damage to the contents of an article the contents and the wrapper, cover or package should accompany the complaint.

(3) Complaints of delay in the delivery of articles should be accompanied by the original covers or wrappers.
(4) Complaints regarding the wrong payment or non-payment of a money order cannot be attended to unless preferred within twelve months of the date of issue of the money order.

Other complaints cannot be attended to unless preferred within six months of the date of the occurrence to which they relate or in the case of a postal order within six months of the date of its issue.

PART XXII REDIRECTION OF POSTAL ARTICLES 57.
(1) A postal packet (except a parcel post packet) may be redirected from its original address to the same addressee without any additional charge for postage but this does not exempt from additional postage any postal packet which, though fully prepaid for the first transmis- sion, is redirected to a country for which the postage is higher than that originally prepaid, in which case it shall be charged on delivery with the difference between the amount originally prepaid thereon and the postage from the country where it is redirected to its new destination.
(2) Any redirected closed postal packet which appears to have been opened before being redirected or which appears to have been treated in a manner designed to evade the payment of any postage chargeable thereon, STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 39 Prohibitions.

shall be dealt with and charged as an unpaid packet of the same description or otherwise dealt with as may be authorised by the Postmaster-General.
(3) In any case where an officer of the post office has reasonable ground to believe that a postal packet purporting to be redirected has been posted as a redirected packet with a view to evading the payment of any postage chargeable on such packet, he may before the delivery of such packet, require the addressee to furnish proof of his identity to the satisfaction of such officer, and to sign the receipt for the same.

PART XXIII PROHIBITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS 58.
(1) There shall not be posted or conveyed or delivered by post any postal packet consisting of or indecent or obscene print, painting, containing any photograph, lithograph, engraving, book or card or any other indecent or obscene article, whether similar to the above or not or having thereon or on the cover thereof any word, marks or designs of an indecent, obscene or grossly insulting or offensive character or — (a) enclosing opium, morphine, cocaine or other narcotics, or any explosive substance, dangerous substance, filth, noxious or deleterious sub- stance, sharp instruments not properly protected, noxious living creature or any article or thing whatsoever which is likely to injure other postal packets in course of conveyance or receptacle in which the same are conveyed or an officer of the post office or other person who may deal with such packet or containing or bearing any fictitious stamp; (b) purporting to be prepaid with any stamp which has been previously used to prepay any other postal packet or any other revenue duty or tax; (c) having thereon or on the cover thereof any words, letters or marks (used without due authority) which signify or imply or may reason- ably lead the recipient thereof to believe that the postal packet is sent on the public service of the country; ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 40] POST OFFICE S.I.
50/1974.
(c) having thereon or on the cover thereof any words, letters or marks (used without due authority) which signify or imply or may reason- ably lead the recipient thereof to believe that the postal packet is sent on the public service of the country; (d) having thereon or on the cover thereof any words, marks or designs of a character likely, in the opinion of to embarrass the officers of the post office in dealing with the packet in the post; the Postmaster-General, (e) enclosing cigarettes or samples of cigarettes or any advertisements relating thereto.
(2) Any postal packet posted or tendered for conveyance by post in contravention of this or any other rule may be detained and either returned or given up to the sender thereof or dealt with or disposed of in such a manner as may be authorised by the Postmaster-General.
(3) Nothing shall be written, printed or otherwise impressed upon or attached to any part of that side of a postal packet which bears the address at which the packet is to be delivered which either by tending to prevent the easy and quick reading of the address of the packet, or by inconvenient proximity to the stamp or stamps used in the payment of postage or in any other way is in itself or in the manner in which it is written, printed, impressed or attached likely in the opinion of the Postmaster-General to embarrass the officers of the post office in dealing with such packet nor shall any sticker, seal or stamp other than a postage stamp be affixed to the address side.
(4) There shall not be posted, conveyed or delivered by the post office any postal packet consisting of or containing two or more postal packets (whether of the same or of different descriptions) addressed to different persons at different addresses.

(5) If any such postal packet be posted or tendered for conveyance by post, each postal packet contained therein may be forwarded to the addressee thereof charged with a distinct rate of postage according to the prepaid rate fixed by these Rules.
STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 41 Fees for carrying closed mails.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

PART XXIV GRATUITIES TO MASTERS, ETC., OF SHIPS 59.
Whenever a closed mail shall be sent from The Bahamas to any place outside The Bahamas by a ship other than a mail vessel under contract with the Govern- ment, the Postmaster-General shall pay to the owner, master or agent of the ship for the conveyance and safe delivery thereof at the place of destination the following fees — by British vessels-twenty cents per lb.

for letters and post cards and two cents per lb.

for prints and parcel post; by foreign vessels-fifteen cents per lb.
for letters and post cards and two cents per 1b.

for prints and parcel post.

PART XXV INTERINSULAR MAILS 60.

Out Island mails shall be dispatched from the General Post Office by the regular interinsular contract vessels and at such other times and by such vessels as the Postmasters may consider convenient.

Despatch.
Despatch.

The owner, master or agent of a vessel (not being a regular interinsular contract vessel) sailing for Out Island ports when carrying a closed mail to or from Nassau shall be paid by the Postmaster-General a fee of two dollars.

61.

A letter bill shall in all cases accompany the mails.

Every Out Island postmaster shall compare the postage charge on the unpaid letters with the entry on the letter bill.
If the amount does not agree he must report the same to the General Post Office by return mail.

62.

With regard to the cash received for taxed letters, etc., the Out Island postmasters shall return to the General Post Office all letter bills received once a quarter with a remittance to cover the postage due on taxed letters as per letter bills returned.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

Letter bills should accompany mail.

Postage to be forwarded quarterly.

63.


All letters posted at an Out Island post office, whether for delivery in Nassau or in transit to any place in or out of The Bahamas, shall be sent to Nassau by the Out Closed mails to be forwarded to Nassau.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 42] POST OFFICE Registered mails and taxed letters must be stated on letter bill.
Postage stamps most be affixed to mails.

Unclaimed letters to be sent to Nassau.

Island postmaster in a bag which must be well secured and sealed.

64.
64.

The Out Island postmaster must state upon the letter bill (which must invariably accompany the mail) the number of registered articles, packets or bags of registered articles in such mails and note the amount of unpaid letters sent and charged against the Postmaster-General at Nassau or other Out Island postmasters; the postage due must also be marked upon each letter.

65.
65.

When letters are brought to an Out Island post office to be forwarded to Nassau in transit, for any port or place in or out of The Bahamas, the requisite amount of Bahamas postage stamps must be affixed thereon; but in the absence of such stamps the Out Island postmaster shall transmit the amount of the postage in coin to the General Post Office, together with the letters by registered mail.

66.
66.

All letters from abroad which have remained in an Out Island post office two months from the date of their arrival, must be returned to Nassau.

Letters of domestic origin must be returned after two weeks if undelivered.

The postmaster shall write upon each letter so returned the cause of the non-delivery thereof, as the case may be, namely: “dead”, “gone away”, “not known”, “refused”, “unclaimed”.

Mis-sent letters must be returned immedi- ately to the General Post Office, Nassau.
Public service letters free of postage.

67.

Interinsular letters on the public service, certified as such on the envelope by a public officer, shall be forwarded free of postage.

PART XXVI INSTRUCTIONS TO OUT ISLAND POSTMASTERS “District” and “sub-post office”.

S.I.

27/1990.

68.

A “district post office” is an office which is in the charge of a district postmaster; such postmaster is in charge of and responsible for all post offices in his district.
A “sub-post office” is one that is under a district postmaster.

Stamp imprest to be issued.

69.

An imprest of stamps sufficient to cover the needs of a district post office and the sub-post offices in the said district will be issued to each district post office.

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 43 (a) Each district postmaster must keep a ledger showing the value of stamps issued to each sub- postmaster in his district.
(b) Sub-postmasters whenever they need a supply of stamps will purchase the same from the post- master in charge of his district.

(c) The district postmaster in requisitioning stamps from the Postmaster-General at Nassau must take care than an advice note on the Public Treasury accompanies each requisition.
(d) The following denominations of stamps will only be supplied in sheets of sixty stamps, viz: 1 cent, 2 cents, 3 cents, 4 cents, 5 cents, 6 cents and 10 cents and registered envelopes will only be issued in packages of twenty-four envelopes.

70.
70.

Whenever a district postmaster makes a tour of his district it is his duty to inspect the sub-post offices in his district and see that the postmasters are attending to their duties, accounting to him for stamps and the duty on parcel post packages and forwarding to the General Post Office registered letter receipts, etc.

The district postmaster is responsible for the conduct and actions of the sub- postmasters in his district.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

District postmaster must inspect sub-post offices.

71.
71.

All moneys received by a district postmaster from the sale of stamps, money orders and deposits in the Savings Bank must be placed to the commissioner’s account as a deposit.

Moneys to be paid in to commissioner.

72.

A statement of all money order and Savings Bank transactions on their respective forms accompanied by an advice note on the Public Treasury for the amounts due to the General Post Office, must be forwarded to Nassau by each mail.

73.
73.

A parcel bill must accompany all parcels forwarded to Nassau.

Each bill should be given a serial number beginning with No.

1 and to be continued to the end of the year.

On the 1st day of January of each year a new series must be started beginning with No.

1.

(a) A duplicate copy of each parcel bill must be retained by the postmaster and filed in his office.

Statement, etc., to be forwarded to Nassau.

Parcel bill.
Parcel bill.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] CH.300 – 44] POST OFFICE (b) Each packet must bear the number of the parcel bill (in the space provided on the declaration form) together with the number of the parcel as listed on the bill.
(c) No parcel post packet can be forwarded without the full postage being prepaid and before forwarding such packages it is the postmaster’s duty to ascertain that the full postage has been affixed to them.

Foreign parcels.

74.

The bill and entry number of a parcel post package intended for a place outside The Bahamas must not be put in the space provided on the customs declaration (which will be used by the Exchange Office at Nassau only) but on the package itself.

Parcels to be put in separate bag.


75.

All parcel post packages must be put into a separate mail bag, sealed, and labelled “Parcel Mail” to ensure its transmission to the parcel post branch.

Delivery at parcel post branch.

Receipts to be forwarded.

Parcels to be returned after thirty days.

76.

The masters of all mail vessels must be instructed by the postmaster to deliver these bags containing parcel mail to the parcel post branch at Nassau.

77.
77.

All parcel post receipts for packages delivered must be returned with the postmaster’s list of advice to the Parcel Post Branch, Nassau.

78.

Parcels undelivered after 30 days must be returned to the Parcel Post Branch, Nassau, for return to the senders.

The reason for non-delivery must be stated on the package.

Communications about parcel mails.

79.

All communications with Nassau about parcel mails must be addressed to the clerk-in-charge of the parcel post branch.
Customs duties to be forwarded.

80.

All sub-postmasters shall forward to the district postmaster in charge of his district all duties received on parcel mail despatched from Nassau to their offices together with the receipts for the said parcels.

Customs duties to be forwarded to commissioners.

81.
81.

The district postmasters shall pay into the commissioner’s account all duties for parcel mails received by them either at their own offices or forwarded to them by the sub-post offices in their districts and forward to the STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001] POST OFFICE [CH.300 – 45 clerk-in-charge of the Parcel Post Branch, each mail a list showing the amounts paid to them by each sub-postmaster and also all receipts for parcels delivered.

PART XXVII PENALTIES 82.


Any person who shall commit or cause or permit to be committed any breach of these Rules shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of one hundred dollars.

Fine.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001]