Continue to secure the business environment

THE JAMAICA Customs Agency’s (JCA) mandate is to secure the borders of Jamaica, facilitate trade, and the collection of revenue. JCA is on the path to becoming a world leader in customs administration as it continues to improve both its business and operational processes.

Over the years, the agency has experienced significant changes, operationally arising from the implementation of the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) World and also from transitioning from a department to an executive agency.

This year’s theme: ‘A secure business environment for economic development’, seeks to look at the development of international trade from the perspective of a vehicle through which economic development can be achieved. It also looks at the philosophy of creating an environment for businesses that will foster their participation in trade.

In today’s global environment where Jamaica is trying to find its competitive advantage, the Jamaica Customs Agency has to become more efficient, effective and result-oriented. This will make us an asset and not an hindrance to boosting economic activity

Securing our business environment for economic development will require the Jamaica Customs Agency to move away from long processes and move towards tackling corruption, facilitating trade, and meeting the needs of the business environment by using internationally accepted risk based approaches. Too often, the business environment complains about the inefficiency of the Jamaica Customs Agency and hence the investment in the ASYCUDA System, this has served to improve service delivery.

ASYCUDA World was developed to improve trade facilitation and service delivery in a modern Customs environment, resulting in greater efficiency and the use of risk analysis to create green lanes.

According to the World Customs Organisation (WCO), “legitimate businesses require a secure supply chain to prosper, but some threats come from within the trade itself, such as the shipment of illicit goods that could endanger people’s health, safety and security.” Therefore, the JCA must continue to foster an environment where the tardiness in the clearance system should become obsolete and seek to simplify the procedures for customers.

The agency, through its current advisory board of directors and chief executive officer is fixated on the mandate of providing a better and more secure business environment and also an environment that is inhospitable corruption.

It is imperative that the JCA, through its daily functions, ask: ‘Is its security procedures adequate, and can it meet the current threats?’ I am confident that with proper leadership and execution the security of our borders, our business environment and our revenue will remain safe even in a constantly changing environment.

Security is at the heart of all business-process changes taking place within our organisation, and as such, it is not a separate activity in our business development chain, but rather an innate part of any business development process.

The JCA, in its mandate of securing the business environment for economic development, will be constantly reviewing its processes to ensure that it is up to the task.