2003 a good year for BVI Customs Dept

Thursday, December 18, 2003

ROAD TOWN. BVI: Comptroller of Her Majesty's Customs in the British Virgin Islands, Mr. Wade Smith, believes the year 2003 has been a good one for the Department.

In a recent interview with the Government Information Service (GIS), he said HM Customs has benefited from several initiatives over the past year as part of the ongoing Customs Reform and Modernisation Programme (CRMP).

Mr. Smith, who shared the interview with Assistant Comptroller (Enforcement) Mr. Dean Fahie, disclosed that the Department's services were significantly advanced with the implementation of a canine (K-9) unit, a hotline, declaration forms and specialised training for a number of officers.

In addition, the Comptroller reported that a pamphlet entitled, "Customs Briefs," was launched with the aim of regularly updating all stakeholders on significant events taking place within the Department.

Mr. Smith pointed out that Government has always recognised the importance of progressively upgrading the operations of Customs to keep abreast of a rapidly changing and increasingly demanding international and domestic environment, particularly in relation to security. 

Consequently, he feels the initiatives have served to enhance the Department's ability to more effectively fulfill its role and accomplish its mission as outlined in HM Customs' Service Charter.

Mr. Smith explained that the canine unit has been a major boost to the Department's security function, adding that the introduction of a hotline has provided Customs with a more efficient mechanism for obtaining feedback from members of the public and receiving reports on illegal activities which require immediate response or follow-up action.

He expressed unreserved optimism that, while people's expectations of HM Customs are climbing, the additional initiatives have raised the Department's performance to a higher level, as it continues to execute its myriad of tasks relating to revenue collection, anti-smuggling, border control and national security.

Endorsing the Comptroller's comments, Mr. Fahie cast aside any doubt that Customs in the BVI is not ready for the global challenges as a result of growing concerns that security at international ports of entry must be intensified.

He emphasised that the Department is on par with customs outfits in many developed countries, as the Ministry of Finance has been responsive to the need for injecting human, technological and financial resources to improve the services locally.

Mr. Fahie, who is in charge of the Customs Flex Team, said the officers under his supervision have responded positively to the many adjustments they have had to make as the new initiatives came on stream. 

The Ministry of Finance launched the CRMP in May 2000, but the reform programme took on additional significance with the disaster of September 11, 2001 in the United States and subsequent international events. 

As part of the programme, HM Customs has benefited from several advanced training courses for its officers and has acquired additional equipment to strengthen its surveillance activities throughout the territory.

Training programmes in recent months have focused on ship rummaging and container searching, observational skills and behavioural analysis, anti-terrorism awareness and terrorist financing, and K-9 techniques. 

In 2004, HM Customs will explore possibilities for upgrading its current data system to facilitate faster processing of information for both administrative and intelligence purposes.

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