Dear Editor,
Congratulations to Commissioner of Customs Major Richard Reece and the management and staff of the Jamaica Customs Agency on your executive agency status and the launching of your revamped Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme; the first in the region.
I am proud to have been at the helm when the agency began taking the first steps towards achieving both. The two programmes have combated a fair amount of resistance and I daresay emotional opposition, both within and outside of Customs.
An efficient Customs agency is critical to any pathway towards economic growth in Jamaica. The establishing of a level playing field and the perception that Customs is fair and transparent in all her dealings are of paramount importance.
Importers and all other entrepreneurs, as well as the general public, must be confident that no unfair advantage is given or taken by anyone in their interaction with the Customs agency. It is also critical that issues, when they arise, are resolved quickly and that due process is observed. An executive agency with a proper oversight and governance structure will go a long way to ensure that this is achieved.
The AEO programme was a bold step in the direction of trade facilitation. It rewards the compliant with a more efficient process. The revamped programme places a lot of emphasis on security of the supply chain and hopefully will eventually reap benefits for our relatively meagre, though most important exports.
The vast majority of importers to Jamaica have integrity and are good, honest companies and individuals. They really just want their goods so they can be on their way quickly. And the ugly under-belly is that inefficiencies breed corruption.
The AEO programme recognises that, and seeks to achieve it while using risk management to continue to protect the society as a whole.
May God bless you all as you develop from strength to strength.
Danville Walker OJ, JP
Managing Director
ATL Industrial Group
Kudos for Customs
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Congratulations to Commissioner of Customs Major Richard Reece and the management and staff of the Jamaica Customs Agency on your executive agency status and the launching of your revamped Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme; the first in the region.
I am proud to have been at the helm when the agency began taking the first steps towards achieving both. The two programmes have combated a fair amount of resistance and I daresay emotional opposition, both within and outside of Customs.
An efficient Customs agency is critical to any pathway towards economic growth in Jamaica. The establishing of a level playing field and the perception that Customs is fair and transparent in all her dealings are of paramount importance.
Importers and all other entrepreneurs, as well as the general public, must be confident that no unfair advantage is given or taken by anyone in their interaction with the Customs agency. It is also critical that issues, when they arise, are resolved quickly and that due process is observed. An executive agency with a proper oversight and governance structure will go a long way to ensure that this is achieved.
The AEO programme was a bold step in the direction of trade facilitation. It rewards the compliant with a more efficient process. The revamped programme places a lot of emphasis on security of the supply chain and hopefully will eventually reap benefits for our relatively meagre, though most important exports.
The vast majority of importers to Jamaica have integrity and are good, honest companies and individuals. They really just want their goods so they can be on their way quickly. And the ugly under-belly is that inefficiencies breed corruption.
The AEO programme recognises that, and seeks to achieve it while using risk management to continue to protect the society as a whole.
May God bless you all as you develop from strength to strength.
Danville Walker OJ, JP
Managing Director
ATL Industrial Group
Kudos for Customs
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