Email

Print

It’s International Customs Day – and no, you don’t get to bring goods into the country duty free – but the media did get a rare look inside the Customs Department. Here’s what I found.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Contraband cigarettes and prohibited drugs continue to present challenges to the Customs and Excise Department. Already in the New Year a container was found loaded with counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes. That case remains under investigation and there have been no arrests.

Gilbert Gordon, Customs Officer Grade 1
“Well the investigation unit has faced many challenges and we’re doing a lot in ensuring that we could deal with those challenges. We have implemented systems whereby we have people dealing with like what I mentioned; we have a unit that deals with examination itself. And so we know it is going to be a challenging process for the department, especially dealing with counterfeit cigarettes, dealing with the pills, and dealing with other items that come into the country. But the Department, Mr. Ian Haylock who is heading the investigation unit, is well versed and is well aware of what is taking place and is putting together a team for 2009 so that we could ensure that these items do not come into the country.”

And just what specific plan of action will be taken is anybody’s guess because for security reasons it cannot be made public but the display of numerous items seized by Customs officers in their line of duty highlights the problem that exists.

For example the next time you go into a shop to purchase your choice of whiskey or cigarettes for instance this imported bottle of Black Label and carton of Benson and Hedges and the items do not have the Belize market label then you know what you are getting are contraband goods. And business owners and suppliers did you know that any items in excess of what you ordered and not declared you will be fined with on over landing fee? The restrictions are all designed to protect the local market and the local economy.

Gilbert Gordon,
“Well basically it does because then we find out that we have local markets that produce these cigarettes, CTC that produces Independence and Milport and all that and they would undersell these companies by bringing these items into the country. So it affects us on a major scale in regards to the local market and people who are working for these local markets.”

The open day was held by the Custom and Excise Department to observe International Customs Day.

Estell Leslie, Collector of Custom – Training & Modernization
“While we are highlighting what Customs does, the basic collecting and protecting revenue, we are also working in hand with the Department of the Environment. That we also have other duties and responsibilities and our team this year for the International Customs Day is ‘Customs and the Environment – Protecting our National Heritage.’ We have the invoice section that deals with processing of the single administration document, they are in the front and they are showing exactly what they do. We have the training unit that deals with training. We have the valuation section, examination section, and we have the enforcement section all the way in the back. We also have the Department of Environment, they have a booth, and we have the people from the Phillip Goldson International Airport, our officers, they have a booth also to show what we do.”

And one major plan is to completely modernize the way business is conducted at the Customs and Excise Department. It is two year project.

Peter Castillo, Director - Customs Reform & Modernization
“Customs throughout the world are increasingly getting the stakeholders involved and allowing them to get their goods on the market much faster than they usually used to do. You know they usual cry from the traders that Customs keeps back everything. Most of the time it is true but the reasons are normally because of archaic policies and procedures. Well the reform and modernization process will simplify all those procedures, those archaic procedures, re-engineer if you must, and bring them together along with the stakeholders in such a way as to have them automated with the latest version ASCUDA which is Automated System for Customs Data

The previous version, brokers brought in their Customs declaration to Customs and data input officers would key in this information. It would then be vetted and several processes carry through. Now with this latest version, brokers can actually input their declaration from their premises.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
How long will the process last and how long before we see it come into effect?

Peter Castillo,
“The project is for two years. Within the first six months the Customs prototype for the new software will be installed. After the first six months it will be tested, make sure all the kinks are ironed out and once everything is working okay, it will be deployed to the other stations. So Belize City will be the first base of operations and the prototype will be testified first in Belize City.”