JA Customs to Become Executive Agency by April

KINGSTON — Jamaica Customs is on schedule to become an Executive Agency by April next year, ushering in significant reductions in turn-around time, improved customer service and cost recovery for more of the services offered.

This was disclosed by Director of Operations at the Norman Manley International Airport, a major operational unit of Customs, Florence Howe, at the 41st Annual General Meeting of the Jamaica Rent-a Car Association at the Terra Nova Hotel, Kingston on Thursday, November 3.

Ms. Howe, representing out-going Commissioner of Customs, Danville Walker, who was “unavoidably absent”, advised that by year three, following the “full transitioning” to executive agency status, Jamaica Customs will become the one-stop shop for trading with other countries.

Among the services to be implemented and enhanced are the introduction of paperless transactions, the use of night depository to facilitate 24-hour turn-around time and, in general increased utilization of information technology, obviating the need for the physical appearance of clients to do business.

She gave assurances that, with the approach of the busy Christmas season, and the usual delays in goods clearance, measures are being implemented to ease port congestion. She also explained that this includes the flat-rate ($5,000) clearance of barrels, which will serve to free-up customs officers, who will “no longer…be there doing all these examinations.”

She also disclosed that a new Manifest branch has been established at Kingston Wharves Limited, to speed up the processing of commercial transactions, including the clearance of motor vehicles for the rent-a-car sector.

"We have been improving our services over the years and I hope that the experience this year will prove that,” she assured.    

By Allan Brooks, JIS Senior Reporter