TPDCo to train 600 Customs Department Employees – Minister Bartlett

The Ministry of Tourism through its agency the Tourism Product Development Company, TPDCo is currently training some 600 Jamaica Customs Department employees as part of that department’s push to enhance and improve customer service at all levels.

The training forms part of Jamaica Customs' paradigm shift from a government entity to an Executive Agency and will see TPDCo designing and implementing a comprehensive training programme for the 600 employees.

A total of ten workshops are being held targeting 600 front line Customs Officers island-wide and so far training has been done among employees in Kingston, with those in Montego Bay slated to be trained shortly. To date some 300 employees have already been trained.

Tourism Minister, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett has fully endorsed the training initiative which he said forms part of measures to improve the airport experience for travellers.

Minister Bartlett said “the experience that a visitor receives at the airport can make or break his or her trip and improving customer service among employees at Jamaica Customs forms part of efforts to ensure that every traveller gets high touch service as they enter and exit our country."

The Tourism Minister stated that “in the long run, we will be ensuring that every employee at the ports of entry receives proper customer service training which will ensure efficiency at both air and sea ports. We have a wonderful opportunity to ensure that at our ports of entry, the visitor’s wonderful experience of being in Jamaica begins or ends well."

The training will be completed on October 27, 2011 and is in-keeping with the Customs Department’s vision “to provide the highest quality service that is equitable to all stakeholders."