Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 26, 2016 (SKNIS): Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, was the featured speaker at a special service to mark the opening of a week of activities in commemoration of International Customs Day at the St. Georges Anglican Church on January 24.
Prime Minister Harris, underscoring the importance of innovations within the Customs and Excise Department, said “the challenges of nation building and cross-border collaborations continue to demand fresh approaches. They demand continued investments of time, capital and other resources to devise and implement the strategic policy responses that build capacity, clarify our objectives and improve organisational performance.”
The theme chosen for the week of activities is “Digital Customs: Progressive Engagement”, and “evokes such ideals of modernisation, efficiency and interaction.”
Prime Minister Harris outlined that the department has already taken strides towards modernization, noting that this has occurred through the “implementation of Automated System for Customs Data (or ASYCUDA) which allows for real-time, online vessel, aircraft and goods manifest declarations for speedier clearance by importers,” adding that “the department is assiduously working on implementing the components of the programme that allow for the management and mitigation of risk and the voluntary compliance of our traders.”
According to the prime minister, “The ASYCUDA system, through Customs, helps the government to better administer the number of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements which have been agreed to for the direct benefit of our manufacturers, our merchants and consumers in general. Across the customs value chain key users such as carriers, importers, and exporters, agents, freight forwarders are embracing new digital technology.”
The ASYCUDA and Digital Customs, is expected to facilitate greater transparency in the Customs Clearance process. Prime Minister Harris said that “this objective has been repeated for non-commercial importers on the Customs Website.”
“Our Customs and Excise Department continues to be ably led to effectively facilitate the cross border flow of goods and has continued to upgrade its abilities to process information and transactions in a most timely manner. Customs and Excise Department works with the key entitles engaged in Immigration, Environment, Health and Security. Its efficiency and efficacy are impacted by its’ relationship with these organization,” Dr. Harris said.
“I commend Customs Department on its Week of activities planned for 2016. Monday is reserved for visits to our nation’s schools and a panel discussion on national television.
The commitment to interaction will also be shown on Tuesday when you visit the retired Customs Officers and thank them for their years of service to the nation. We stand on the shoulders of these great men and women and I join you in celebrating them as the foundation to this distinguished organisation.
Your engagement with the people continues on Wednesday when officers on both islands exchange posts - Nevis based Officers work in Basseterre and St. Kitts based Officers will serve the people at Long Point. This interisland exchange testifies to the holistic view of your roles as servants of the people. And it emphasise too the oneness or unity of the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis.
On Thursday, the department will take the time to re-evaluate its level of preparation to serve the people in a professional development day and then on Friday the gates of Customs will be opened to the public on its annual Open Day.
As remarkable as these events are, and I commend them highly, I urge the department to make national service a daily priority. Let the work you do be felt across the length and breadth of this fair land of ours,” Prime Minister Harris said.
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