Shura okays law for unified mail system

Muscat, Jan 22 - The Majlis Ash’shura on Tuesday approved the draft law for a unified mail system and the draft law on statistics and information. The draft laws were approved during the fifth ordinary session of the council held under the chairmanship of Khalid bin Hilal al Mawali. The mail system aims at regulating the activity of private companies operating in the field of urgent mail and parcels of GCC countries. Both the draft laws were referred by the government. The council has referred them to the State Council. Dr Hamood bin Ahmed al Yahyaei, Head of the Services and Social Development Committee, said the draft law on mail system contains 42 articles and six chapters, including a mechanism for licensing, financial provisions and penalties. Al Yahyaei said the committee studied the draft law and held consultations with authorities such as the Ministry of Transport and Communications. It also studied the related Arab and international systems and reviewed international agreements. “We found Royal Decree No 17/2012 regulating postal services and this project have many things in common and there was no conflict between the two. The law, to be implemented along with the GCC states, covers topics that didn’t have regulations before,” he said. The council also discussed the draft law on statistics and information containing 37 articles divided into six chapters. Saeed bin Hamad al Saadi, member of Legislative and Legal Committee, said: “The law looks at survey centres, means of collecting information, obligations and penalties. We discussed different views after considering all the legal aspects.”