The Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) in collaboration with the Barbados Customs and Excise Department (BCED) will host a free virtual webinar on the Pre-Clearance of Cargo and Trusted Trader Programme on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Topics to be covered during the webinar are Overview of Customs Pre-Clearance: Opportunity for Trade Facilitation, Obligations, and Requirements; and Overview of the Customs Trusted Trader Programme: Opportunity, Obligations, Requirements and Benefits.
Speakers will include BCCI President, Anthony Branker; Comptroller of the Barbados Customs and Excise Department, Owen Holder; Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Sonea Jordan-Clarke; Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Cheryl-Ann Cumberbatch.
The webinar which will be held via the Zoom platform, aims to inform the trade community on Custom’s pre-clearance requirements and discuss ways to optimize this trade facilitation measure. The event will also present the Barbados Trusted Trader programme to the business community and gather feedback from traders.
To register for the webinar, persons may email bcci@barbadoschamber.com, visit www.barbadoschamberofcommerce.com or call 434-4750.
Importers/traders, including shipping and courier companies, are invited to attend the webinar which will provide an understanding of the recent changes made by the Barbados Customs and Excise Department and the implications for businesses.
The BCED Trusted Trader Programme is intended to provide a predictable and consistent level of engagement between trade and customs to those importers that demonstrate a high level of compliance with Barbados’ Customs legal framework. In this way, Government revenue collections can be maximized and safeguarded through identification of revenue leakages and compliance activities to mitigate those risks.
While the Pre-clearance programme is still in development, the draft process is designed to see Customs authorities electronically receive and risk assess cargo and conveyance reporting documents prior to their actual arrival in Barbados. When there are no significant risks to security and safety, BCED authorises the goods to enter the country without delay.
Mr. Lalu Vaswani, Moderator for the webinar, and Chairman of the BCCI Customs & Trade Facilitation Committee states, “The Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry welcomes the facilitation of the Barbados Customs and Excise Department to implement programmes such as Trusted Trader Programme and Pre-clearance of Cargo, intended to foster greater efficiency for all BCCI members, resulting in lowering operational costs to businesses and thereby benefits all consumers. BCCI encourages all members of the trade community to participate in this Free webinar and share your ideas on improving these programmes.”