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PM and Secretary-general discuss customs
Web Posted - Thu Sep 01 2005
Barbados could soon be receiving assistance from the World Customs Organisation (WCO) to aid the local Customs and Excise Department in the development of an Infor-mation Technology (IT) base.

This was one of the issues discussed recently when WCO Secretary-general, Michel Danet paid a visit on Prime Minister Owen Arthur at Government Headquar-ters.

Mr. Danet was on an official visit to the island as part of the 100th Anniver-sary celebrations of the Customs and Excise De-partment.

Mr. Arthur paid tribute to the Department, citing it as one of the most venerable institutions in this country. He noted that 100 years was a significant milestone, but stressed that it was critical for the organisation to rejuvenate itself as it faced the new challenges of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, the Free Trade Area of the Americas and by extension the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

According to the Prime Minister, Barbados would welcome the WCOs assistance in capacity build- ing for the Customs and Excise Department to develop a more technological base.

He also stressed the need for more specialised training for customs officers across the region as they were now working in many non-traditional areas such as the fight against the illicit trade in guns and drugs.

Mr. Danet emphasised the importance of promoting partnerships with the private sector, noting that this was one area the WCO was exploring.

With regards to training, he stated that the WCO had developed a number of distance education programmes for customs officials which could be beneficial to Barbados.

The meeting was attended by Permanent Secretaries Allan Jones and Ronald Bascombe as well as Comptroller of Customs (Acting) Joseph Best and Deputy Comptroller (Operations) Marva Taylor.

Meanwhile, Mr. Danet also met with the Act- ing Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kerrie Symmonds at his office and discussed issues related to trade facilitation and the WTO, as well as matters affecting Small Island Developing States.Ç