New Courier service opens doors for business

Entrepreneurs in St.Vincent and the Grenadines, including farmers, who were unable to sell their produce on the regional market, now have an opportunity to do so with the coming on stream of the new SWIFTPAC Courier & Air Cargo Service.{{more}}

On Tuesday, May 5th, 2009, at 7:00 p.m, Caribbean Freight & Courier Ltd officially launched the service at the French Verandah Restaurant.

Ricardo Drayton, Managing Director of Caribbean Freight & Courier Ltd, said he was elated to see the realization of the initiative, which he said cost him and his partners several million dollars, after several months of preparation.

He said the company was created to get involved in freight and courier services throughout the Caribbean, as well as the international markets.

“It is going to be the only Caribbean company that can move courier services from the Caribbean region into the international market,” said Drayton who received loud applause from the audience.

The businessman noted that his company intends to offer a classy, prompt, and efficient service to the Caribbean people, as well as its international clients.

Drayton said his initial training was in the field of agriculture and having a deep understanding of its importance to the economy, he will ensure that the company offers farmers the best rates.

He explained that the courier service which goes alongside the cargo service is intended to be an extremely reliable service. He added that it is intended to be an intra-Caribbean service in the first phase and then it will go international in the second phase. He said the business is already in a position to offer both ocean cargo and air cargo to and from the United States.

“In addition to that, the key feature of this service is that we are going to be able to offer it the same day to several destinations in the Caribbean,” said Drayton.

Swift Pac boasts: A 24-hour guaranteed delivery service; an online state-of-the-art Package Tracking System and Automatic Alert; a dedicated Aircraft for the transport of the Packages; and a reliable and tamper-free Package pick up and drop off door-to-door.

The service will start up with aircraft that can move 3,400 lbs of cargo. In the fleet of nine aircraft available to the company, it will be able move cargo of 4, 200 lbs, 7,600 lbs or 17, 000 lbs.

Reuben Robertson, Chief Agricultural Officer, lauded the efforts of Drayton and his partners.

“We in the Ministry of Agriculture hail the managing director and other investors who have taken the opportunity to establish this very important initiative. We feel strongly that this initiative will go a long way in helping not only to build the Agricultural Sector but to fuel some economic activity within the economy,” said Robertson.

He noted that the agricultural sector currently faces a lot of problems with respect to its products and produce entering the regional and extra-regional markets in very good conditions.

Robertson said the problems encountered relates to regularity of shipping, reliability, quality services, and competitive pricing.

“If Caribbean Freight and Courier Limited is able to bring these types of qualities and services to the table, I am certain that our Vincentian entrepreneurs will patronise this service and it will have some sustainability,” said Robertson.(HN)