Customs chaos continues

Greater San Fernando Chamber of Commerce president, Kiran Singh, has referred to the controversial custom rule as unheralded and beyond ridiculous.

Like other well-known members of the business sector, Singh criticised the change and made a clarion call for it to be immediately reversed. He hopes Finance Minister, Colm Imbert, together with the "decision-makers" meet with the business sector for an amicable solution.

"It is already a difficult exercise to get things through Customs. The additional paperwork and entries required decrease the competitive of the local entrepreneurs against the giants in the corporate sector," Singh told Sunday Newsday.

The business community have been complaining that shipments sent via couriers now require custom brokers to clear them. The customs and excise division falls under the purview of the Finance Ministry and is responsible for approving all imports to and exports from TT.

Singh charged: "People have been severely affected by this sudden move by the custom and excise division to insist on a broker for the most minute of transactions. It is very cumbersome and expensive, especially for the smaller enterprises. It is also burdensome and time-consuming."

Saying the ease of doing business in TT should be getting better and not worse, Singh added that some people could lose their jobs.

"Once profits are affected, it affects the labour force and how businesses can treat with communities in assisting with projects."

Rampersad Sieuraj, president of the Penal/Debe Chamber of Commerce expressed similar sentiments. The ease of going business, he said, is becoming more and more difficult in TT.

"This is just another obstacle in the way and ease of doing business. Given that the Penal/Debe area is more into retail sales, it is impacting us more negatively. Everything that we either import or buy online has an additional cost to it, " Sieuraj said.

He suggested that the Government and the policymakers sit down and find measures to make the ease of doing business in TT easier. He expressed concerns for customers saying all costs are eventually passed on to them.

Couva/Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce president, Ramchand Rajbal Maraj, said people are frustrated about not receiving their goods on time and having to pay additional costs.

"We (members of the Confederation of Regional Business Chambers) are concerned and are hoping that good sense will prevail. This is contrary to the ease of doing business. This could cause small businesses to close down more and more."

On Thursday, several business groups joined forces at the headquarters of the American Chambers of Industry and Commerce (AMCHAM) in Port of Spain and called for the new payment plan to be rescinded.

AMCHAM TT CEO Nirad Teware told reporters that the new system is extremely debilitating to business and must be reversed.

The Finance Minister promised to meet next week with couriers on the issue.