BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – NINETEEN of the nation’s Junior Customs Officers would receive an opportunity to advance through training in the 6th Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council Examinations (CCLEC) commencing January 26.
The opening ceremony, to be held at Frigate Bay Resort, coincides with International Customs Day and is expected to feature the launch of the website and various e-services of the St. Kitts-Nevis Customs and Excise Department.
The eight-week course targets six Nevisian and 13 Kittitian junior officers with less than two years experience to equip them “with the relevant knowledge and skills enabling them to function as Customs Officers efficiently in today’s changing global environment”.
According to Delroy Joseph, Assistant Comptroller of Customs responsible for training, the objectives of the course are to build professionalism, instill the concept of continued improvement and learning agility to encourage self-development, to foster a spirit of teamwork and to develop management skills.
“The course will prepare the officers for working in a changing environment and would equip them with skills and knowledge necessary for this field. It should set them on a path of continued learning so that they may be able to understand the roles and responsibilities of Customs.
“The junior officers would be trained in the areas of Legislation, Prohibited and Restricted Goods, Situation Diffusion, Cargo Report and Processing and Warehousing. Another focus would be Tariff Classification and Invoicing which should give them some understanding of Commercial Fraud. We also expanded the course to include a number of management courses such as Time Management, Conflict Resolution and Customer Service.”
Joseph explained that the course is necessary for junior officers to advance to the rank of Trained Officer. He added that the certification received upon completing the course would be recognized around the region and in the US and UK. He added that the course would enhance their overall development and would allow them reclassification for salary purposes.
Joseph also informed that the launch of the website would allow the Department to offer electronic declaration which would expedite the clearing goods and reduce transaction costs as automation and capacity building would be the major priorities for the Department.
