Customs kinks

One more week!

That’s how long newly appointed Comptroller of Customs Owen Holder has promised it will take the Customs and Excise Department to iron out any kinks it has encountered in upgrading its system from ASYCUDO ++ to ASYCUDO World.

Since switching to the new paperless platform on September 9, Customs has been plagued with several issues.

However, Holder, an expert in the installation of ASYCUDO World has

promised that the problems currently being encountered were not out of the norm and would be “addressed in short order”.

“I am very familiar with implementing these systems and I understand the teething issues that will develop with a new system, but from what we are seeing in Barbados currently I can say this is a normal process of implementing the system,” Holder said during a press conference at Government headquarters this afternoon.

“So I wish to assure the public that within probably a week’s time it will definitely settle down and the advantages you will get from implementing ASYCUDO World are numerous and you will see a major change in how things are done.”

Holder, said he was very familiar with ASYCUDO World as he had travelled extensively installing the platform while employed with the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development.

He said his most recent accomplishment was the installation of the programme at Jamaica’s Customs department, which had allowed that entity to reach all its goals while under an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

The Comptroller said there were issues related to persons not having access to the system because they had not collected their upgraded passwords.

Holder explained some persons also did not have the correct version of the Java software, which was required to access the system.

He said he was also aware of situations where persons were having difficulty uploading their manifest. This he said was most likely due to the port authority’s settings which would most likely have to be adjusted.

Holder said he had already assisted organisations such as the Customs Brokers Association, the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Barbados Manufacturers’ Association in dealing with a number of issues.

Minister of Finance Ryan Straughn maintained that the upgrade to ASYCUDO World was especially critical to Barbados.

He said while its installation had been delayed since 2014, Government was pushing ahead in its bid to improve the ease of doing business in Barbados.

“I want to stress that as we go through this modernization of Customs that the upgrade to ASYCUDO World is critical to Barbados’ competitiveness.

“We do not want people waiting in the Port for any extended period of time, waiting on Customs to process goods unless there is a particular reason based on the risk management protocols that have been established, because whilst we are facilitating business there is a national security component that is critical as part of the Customs’ function…” Straughn pointed out. randybennett@barbadostoday.bb