Commissioner of Customs Says Effective Trade Facilitation Requires Multi-Agency Approach

Effective trade facilitation is not a task for one agency or Ministry, it is a shared responsibility that requires a multi-agency and multi-sectoral approach.

This was the message from Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Commissioner of Customs at the Jamaica Customs Agency, Velma Ricketts-Walker, at the recent launch of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme by the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

Mrs. Ricketts-Walker, who is also a member of the National Trade Facilitation Committee, said that the successful implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement demands sustained collaboration across the public and the private sectors.

“It demands alignment of national development priorities and the strengthening of institutional capacities, and so this is why today’s launch is significant,” the CEO said.

“The UNCTAD empowerment programme comes at a critical time as global trade grows more complex. It is imperative that the National Trade Facilitation Committees are not just compliant but competent, resilient, and impactful, and Jamaica’s journey has demonstrated that institutional transformation is possible through shared vision, consistent leadership and strategic partnerships,” Mrs. Ricketts-Walker added.

The CEO pointed out that at the JCA, trade facilitation is not viewed merely as a policy objective but rather as a national imperative that demands strategic operation, institutional agility and shared responsibility.

“It is against that background that we have embedded modernisation and capacity-building at the heart of our mission,” the Commissioner said.

The aim of the Trade Facilitation Programme is to continue efforts to streamline trade processes in Jamaica and strengthen the country’s trade environment.

The launch brought together key stakeholders from Ministries of Government, trade and customs agencies, private-sector entities and international development partners.