Customs unions take upper hand
The Shippers’ Council has refused to attend a meeting called by Customs unions this week as it is learnt that these bodies are attempting to take an upper hand in running the customs operations as they are said to have also assured that there would be no more clogging of containers at yards in future.
Shippers’ Council Chairman Sean Van Dort speaking with The Sunday Times Business said they are concerned over the continuation of the rule of corruption within the Customs adding that the four unions within the Customs Department called for a meeting with the industry to which they refused to attend citing their discussions are directly with the administration and management at the Customs.
Minutes of the meeting held this week with the Customs unions and the Customs House Agency Traders Association states that unions had informed them that they have already requested the Ministry of Finance to amend Section 47 of the Customs Ordinance. This section requires the importer to deliver bill of entry together with other documents.
The unions have stated that the amendment to this ordinance is intended to facilitate the pre-arrival clearance process by allowing the bill of lading to be used in place of the shipping delivery order, which would only be required during the delivery process.
The unions have also assured that there won’t be clogging of containers at the examination yards in the future to which the Shippers’ Council asserted that this clearly indicates that this is a problem created by them.
It is also learnt that the unions in a bid to take control of the Customs Department are attempting to seek a new appointment to the position of Director General of Customs.
Mr. Van Dort pointed out that for several years now the unions have been involved in appointing persons to lucrative locations manned by the Customs like the airport.
He also noted that they are “very concerned” that certain individuals are engaged in demanding uncalled for payments to release containers to be sent to yards at the NCT Gate on imports.
The budget proposal to digitalise the Customs is long overdue as this has been proposed time and again in the past as well but has been opposed by the unions.
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