Newly appointed Customs Comptroller Raju Boddu laid out segments of his plan to reform the Customs and Excise Division.
He met with members of the Antigua & Barbuda Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the chamber’s breakfast forum yesterday at the Grand Royal Antiguan Beach Resort.
In his first official public speech, Boddu outlined his reform strategy and strived to enlist the business community as he unveiled key issues and policy changes to be enacted over his three-year tenure.
The comptroller indicated the support of Customs personnel was vital to his success, adding that they “unanimously” bought into his new initiative.
The first step in the new comptroller’s plan is to revamp the administrative section of Customs, he said, noting that an image makeover was necessary.
“Greater emphasis will be made on customer service with concern and due respect for all clients,” Boddu noted.
He also revealed that his “frank and free” conversations with Custom’s brokers exceeded his expectations.
Although Boddu admitted to Custom’s shortcomings, he also defended his staff.
“It has happened many times that Customs had to bear the cross for someone else’s lapses,” he said.
Boddu also seeks to encourage discipline and foster a “healthy work culture” amongst the staff.
He aims to accomplish this through targeted and intensive training.
In efforts to streamline the agency’s processes, Boddu said he will attempt to reduce delivery times and improve services by “pruning down the unproductive, purposeless and often irritating operational procedures that consume longer time to process a transaction.
“The dependencies on brokers to write up warrants will be eliminated” for small importers which is expected to reduce the costs associated with broker fees.
He stressed that no new laws would be sanctioned; this will be enforced within the current realm of the law.
Boddu introduced a 14-day credit programme.
“A 14-calendar day credit programme for importers to ease the tax flow problems,” will be installed, he said.
Customs will facilitate the release of goods against post-dated certified checks for the value of duties and taxes assessed. At the end of that period, the monies will be automatically deducted. However, importers can submit a “new consideration” if unable to pay.
Boddu’s appointment by Minister of Finance Harold Lovell took effect on February 6.
Prior to his appointment, Boddu served 10 years as a certified information systems auditor and a certified fraud examiner for the Government of Antigua & Barbuda.
(Source http://www.antiguaobserver.com/?p=71323)
