Reports continue to reach the Stabroek Business of problems relating to bottlenecks of one sort or another arising out of engagements between Customs authorities and importers and which, reportedly, are impeding the efficiency of import transactions and by extension the smoothness of business arrangements.
It is, of course, unnecessary to restate the unfortunate reputation that has been visited upon the local Customs authorities though the private sector business support organizations have themselves, from time to time, commented on what they say are practices that facilitate the strengthening of unwholesome practices within the Customs Department.
One hastens to add that of late the Customs authorities have been keen to present the department’s best side to the public though some businessmen have told this newspaper that there continues to be a host of ways in which the expedient processing of goods can be frustrated.
At various times, the Private Sector Commission and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) have undertaken to engage the upper echelons of the Customs administration, though this newspaper has not gleaned the view that those engagements have realized the requisite remedial measures. At all material times some businessman or group of businessmen always appear to have a problem with the Customs even though we are told that some of those problems are self-inflicted.
All of this, of course, has to be seen in the context of what the government has said repeatedly is its concern that as far as the Customs administration is concerned, it wants to put the bad old days behind. Indeed, President Granger himself, in a message directed at overseas investors but relevant nonetheless to the local business community had made reference to government’s commitment “to dismantling all bureaucratic barriers to trade and investment so as to create a more enabling environment for business,” which, we assume, means, among other things, removing hurdles associated with customs-related delays.
If it appears that in recent times we have been able to avoid the worst excesses of customs-related bottlenecks and bugbears, the available evidence would appear to suggest that it may still be possible to manipulate the system at will and to perpetuate practices that are, to say the very least, unfair. Worryingly, we believe that some businessmen continue to see themselves as victims and in that context to hold the view that the more things change the more they stay the same. This has to change.
