JSWIFT – Positively impacting Jamaica’s trade and business landscape
THE JAMAICA SingleWindow for Trade (JSWIFT) is a Government of Jamaica (GOJ) initiative aimed at simplifying and streamlining cross-border trade regulatory processes in Jamaica. A Trade Single Window is a system designed to facilitate international trade by providing a centralised platform for submitting and processing trade-related documents and information.
The concept of a single window system involves creating a one-stop shop for all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements. This helps to reduce the time and costs associated with trade transactions, improve efficiency, and enhance collaboration among various government agencies involved in trade facilitation.
The JSWIFT was developed to improve the ease of doing business and enhance the country’s competitiveness in the global market. It is expected to bring together all relevant stakeholders, including customs, port authorities, regulatory agencies, and the business community, to exchange trade-related information electronically through a single platform.
The team at JSWIFT in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and our valued stakeholders continues on its mandate to simplify, digitise, and improve the cross-border trade services offered.
The implementation has realised the delivery of over seventy-two (72) import and export services for the processing and issuance of licences, permits, certificates, and other documents (LPCOs) across the ten (10) Partner Government Agencies (PGA) already on-boarded onto the platform. With an additional ten (10) agencies remaining to be on-boarded, the trade community will continue to benefit from the efficiencies gained using the JSWIFT single transaction point.
In the ongoing project, training and awareness initiatives are progressing well, targeting end-users from both the Public and Private Sectors. In 2023, collaborative engagements with the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA), Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), and eGov Jamaica Limited (eGovJa) have contributed to these efforts.
During 2023, the primary focus was on training our stakeholders and end-users for the onboarding of services related to the Veterinary Services Division – Veterinary Export Health Certificate for Fish and Fishery Products, the Jamaica Customs Agency – Customs Broker Licensing, and the Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority – Import and Re-Export of Hazardous Commodities.
Virtual modalities, including YouTube and e-Learning platforms, are being utilised for training and sensitisation. To date, there are thirty-eight (38) videos available on our Learning JSWIFT YouTube Channel, nine (9) training courses on our eLearning platform (www.learning.jswift.gov.jm) and the JSWIFT Training Portal (www.training.jswift.gov.jm) is always readily available for all our users to familiarise themselves with our various service offerings.
AS OF JANUARY 22, 2024, JSWIFT HAS ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES:
Ten Partner Government Agencies have been successfully on-boarded. The platform offers 72 Import and Export Services. A total of 8,489 users are registered on JSWIFT.
The platform has processed 3,475 licences, 162,177 permits, and 9,517 certificates.
The JSWIFT has successfully processed 185,594 payments, collecting a total of $2,101,503,094.63 in transaction fees for various PGAs.
The JSWIFT has successfully on-boarded a diverse range of services for various agencies, including the Trade Board Limited (TBL), Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), Plant Quarantine Produce Inspection Branch (PQPIB), Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), Pesticides Control Authority (PCA), Veterinary Services Division (VSD), Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA), Sugar Industry Authority (SIA), Jamaica Dairy Development Board (JDDB), and the Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority (HSRA).
The JSWIFT plans to onboard additional agencies, including the Pharmaceutical and Regulatory Affairs Branch (PRAB), National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Ministry of National Security (MNS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
(MFAFT), National Compliance and Regulatory Authority (NCRA), and the Spectrum Management Authority (SMA). These upcoming agencies will further expand the reach and capabilities of the JSWIFT platform.
JSWIFT Phase two outlines comprehensive plans for the future in its ongoing commitment to enhance trade facilitation. Key elements of the plan include:
• The completion of remaining import and export services for the remaining Partner Government Agencies.
•Various improvements such as enhanced system response times, further reductions in LPCO processing times and software bugs.
• The recruitment of additional human resources, ongoing capacity-building efforts, change management initiatives, and continued stakeholder sensitisation and training.
• Refinements to standard operating procedures, system enhancements, infrastructure improvements, and upgrades to e-payment services.
• Acceptance of Jamaica’s Central Bank Digital Currency (JAM-DEX) as a means of payment.
• Improvements to the transfer services between JSWIFT and ASYCUDA
• Upgrades to identity validation services,
• Integration with the National Business Portal (NBP) and other key government trade-related services.
Importantly, the focus on full compliance with data protection practices and guidelines is integral to current and future initiatives.
For information requests, submit inquiries to info@jswift.gov.jm. Users and stakeholders seeking assistance with JSWIFT platform services can contact the JSWIFT Client Services Team at support@jswift.gov.jm or by phone at (876) 750-3050, (876) 750-3096-7.