BUSINESS BRIEFS
No. 40
CUSTOMS INTRODUCES COSTSAVING MEASURES
The Customs and Excise Division continues to improve its efficiency and alignment with international best practices with the introduction of two new initiatives. Stennette Knowles, Customs Officer in the PR Unit, said the division, in seeking to reduce the time importers spend clearing goods, will begin the Rapid Release of Goods. The procedure seeks to have goods released on a timely basis, to facilitate trade and to decrease the cost of doing business. Knowles said importers must apply to Comptroller of Customs Raju Boddu to utilise the Rapid Release of Goods procedure. Other initiatives that will be introduced are the Revised Procedures for Container Checking and Risk-based Selective Container Checking. Knowles said a fee will be charged for checking containers before and after regular working hours. Meanwhile, Nigel Christian, supervisor of Risk Management, said careful analyses will be undertaken to determine which containers are checked as it pertains to risk level. As such, more time will be spent examining high-risk importation and less time processing others.
VERE BIRD JR. SUCCUMBS TO ILLNESS
Vere Bird Jr., the eldest son of former Prime Minister Hon. V. C. Bird Snr., has died. He died on Sunday, March 31, due to cardio pulmonary failure or heart failure. Seventy-six-year-old Vere Bird Jr. was a former Antigua Labour Party (ALP) government minister and member of parliament from 1976 until 2004. He was also an attorney at law for several years. Senator, Hon. Winston Williams Jr., former Member of Parliament for the St. John’s Rural South Constituency during the period 2004 – 2009, a seat which Bird held until that time, extended his sincere condolences to the family. He acknowledged Mr. Bird’s contribution as the longest serving member of Parliament for the St. John’s Rural South Constituency and his service to the sporting sector which included his tenure as president of the Antigua and Barbuda National Olympic Association for many years. The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda bestowed an Official Funeral on the former long serving parliamentarian.
CARIB CEMENT LAB ACCREDITED
Carib Cement has announced that its inhouse laboratory is the first in Jamaica to be internationally accredited. The Company’s Laboratory Management System is now ISO/ IEC 17025:2005 accredited. The ISO/IEC 17025 standard is a global ISO standard outlining the general requirements to ensure the competency of laboratories doing testing and calibration. The Carib Cement laboratory management system, therefore, had to demonstrate that it could successfully and consistently meet the international standard requirements. Carib Cement says it took the decision to have its laboratory internationally accredited as a part of its focus on continuous improvement in all aspects of its operations and its corporate social responsibility in ensuring a product in the marketplace of consistently high quality. Carib Cement is a part of the TCL Group of companies that supply cement throughout the Caribbean region.
Christian said the Customs and Excise Division is aiming to introduce this selective examination process to the passenger side of Customs in a few months. BusinessFocus • May/June2013
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