Businesses whose goods have been stuck in the Bridgetown Port because of technical difficulties experienced by the upgrade to the new ASYCUDA World system could have their storage fees waived.
Chairman of Barbados Port Inc Senator Lisa Cummins gave this assurance today, as she explained that affected persons would be dealt with on a “case by case” basis.
She also promised that the port would also be engaging the shipping lines to negotiate the demurrage fees usually charged.
Since upgrading its system from ASYCUDA ++ to ASYCUDA World on September 9, both the Customs and Excise Department and the Port have been plagued with issues.
Last Thursday, newly appointed Comptroller of Customs Owen Holder admitted that while there were some “teething issues”, he expected they would be fully addressed within a week.
During a press conference at the port this evening attended by Minister of Finance Ryan Straughn; chief executive officer of Barbados Port Inc David Jean-Marie along with Cummins and Holder, stakeholders were assured that significant progress had been made in ironing out the system’s kinks.
While acknowledging that businesses would have endured longer than usual waits in getting their goods cleared from the port due to the hitches, Cummins said there was the possibility storage fees could be overlooked.
Senator Lisa Cummins and Wayne Willock
“We also accept there has been a lot of discussion in the public space around demurrage and storage fees [which are] two separate things. Demurrage is a charge by the shipping lines and storage fees by the port.
“We have given the commitment as a Government and as a Port and as the board of the Port that we will engage with the shipping lines to discuss the question of demurrage charges. We will be making representation on behalf of our local importers to the shipping lines to see how we can address that issue,” Cummins said.
“But as it relates to port fees and storage fees which we have full control of, we are favorably disposed to agreeing to waive those fees on a case by case basis so that importers can have diminished costs associated with this transitional period.”
The port’s CEO further explained the circumstances which would lead to those fees being dropped.
“We permit five days of free storage before we impose charges. Once you go beyond that period we will examine the reason for the delay and if the reason for the delay is not the importer’s fault then we will waive the charges, simple,” Jean-Marie said.
Cummins said they were also working to improve delays.
She said there were issues that had surfaced when the system was introduced, but they were being addressed on a daily basis.
Today, president of the Small Business Association (SBA) Wayne Willock, speaking to Barbados TODAY on the sidelines of a State of the Sector Conference at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, said several small businesses had been negatively impacted by the move to the new system and suggested those issues could have been avoided.
“I’m not specifically aware of the small businesses but I am very sure that there has been some dislocation. People have been trying to clear things and when you set back two weeks of not being able to clear stuff, you would definitely have a problem…” he said.
“I think that the system should have been properly checked and all of the wrinkles ironed out before you actually look to execute it because it is such a crucial area that any size business that has stuff coming into the Port or even going out, it is going to be an issue.
“Like everything else, it is important to do your checks before you implement something and that is probably one of the problems we have in this country,” Willock added.
Minister Straughn told members of the media that from his viewpoint the majority of issues being experienced had more to do with incorrect information being submitted by stakeholders.
He insisted that there was nothing wrong with the system.
As a way of helping stakeholders address issues, both the Port and the Customs have installed call centers where callers may get assistance.
