Commentary

Postal Privatization?

The UK joins the list of countries considering privatizing their postal department. Richard Gillingwater, who heads a body that advises the government on its role as owner of the postal service, had held meetings with leading London bankers to discuss a privatization of the business. The Royal Mail could be privatized within the next year and 18 months. In other postal privatization news, Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi recently launched a preparatory office for privatizing Japan’s postal services, one of the key parts of his reform initiative. The Lexington Institute has been the leading advocate for postal privatization in the US. If it can work in Japan and the UK, it certainly can work here.