I want first of all to thank the Comptroller of Customs and by extension the Government and people of the Commonwealth of Dominica for the gracious invitation to participate this opening ceremony to mark International Customs Day. Ordinarily, I profit from every opportunity I get to visit your beautiful country and so on this occasion I consider it both a privilege and a pleasure to be here once again.

I have been asked to speak on the role of Customs in protecting society and I intend to use this opportunity to dispel the myth that Customs exist just to collect revenue.

The truth is that Customs has an equally important function in securing the borders, including the air and seaports, promoting fair trade practices and playing a key role in the national security effort .

In small islands states like Dominica and others in the OECS, this role is often underestimated and misunderstood, even by policy makers and therefore what we find is that too often the departments do not receive the level of budgetary and other support necessary to effectively carry out its many diverse responsibilities.

My challenge as I see is to use this forum to share what may be obvious to us with those who have a different perspective so that hopefully some common understanding about the role and responsibilities of Customs can be reached.

As tax collectors Customs Officers are considered as the enemy by those who have to pay duties and taxes. This unfortunately goes back to biblical times when tax collectors were considered as a special category of sinners, perhaps then with good reason. Today, the role of Customs in that regard is guided by laws, statutes and regulation and so the action of customs officers should be viewed as carrying out their duties for and on behalf of the country. In the process of assessing and collecting duty Customs often have to challenge the validity of invoices particularly in terms of the values. Such incidents are usually given negative publicity; however it is the responsibility of Customs to ensure that persons do not defraud the revenue by understating the true value of their goods. In collecting duties therefore the customs department is attempting to ensure that every one pays what is due to the state and as such is helping to create a level playing field for the business sector and the general public.

Similarly on the international level the World Customs Organisation (WCO) sets standards for all customs administrations to emulate. In June of 2005 the WCO introduced the SAFE Framework of Standards to Facilitate and Secure Global Trade. “This Framework provides a new and consolidated platform which will enhance world trade, ensure better security against terrorism, and increase the contribution of Customs and trade partners to the economic and social well-being of nations. It will improve the ability of Customs to detect and deal with high-risk consignments and increase efficiencies in the administration of goods, thereby expediting the clearance and release of goods.” Dominica and other Caribbean Countries are encouraged to adopt the principles of this framework in their attempt to achieve the delicate balance of protecting society whilst facilitating trade.

The Customs function in protecting society extends to carrying out agency functions on behalf of other Government departments such as the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, and the Police among others. For instance, when plant and animal products are detained at the ports of entry, it is done on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and on those occasions the Customs Officer has no discretion. He is required by law to detain the article and refer it to the appropriate authority who will determine whether or not to allow the article in question to be imported. By doing his job correctly the Customs officer is protecting the country from harm.

Unfortunately, we live in a world today which is not necessarily characterised by ethical business practices and good moral values. There are a great many traders and persons who would actively attempt to beat the system in whatever way possible. Consequently many countries have to devote resources to equip Customs and other border control agencies with tools to combat trans-national crime ranging from trade in counterfeit items, narcotics, money laundering, illegal arms and ammunition and human trafficking. The Caribbean is not immune to those activities and in fact we may be considered as soft targets by those modern day pirates who use our economic space to conduct their nefarious activities.

Customs Officers positioned at our air and sea ports must therefore be vigilant to prevent the importation of items which can harm the well being of the state and its citizens. The scourge of drugs in our societies is contributing to the rise in violence and crime and the one sure way to reduce such occurrences is to stem the flow of drugs and illegal weapons onto our shores. But a customs department operating without the basic equipment is powerless against the army of drug barons and their henchmen who are usually well armed and equipped to evade the effort of a limited law enforcement capability.

There is increasing recognition that Customs cannot and should not attempt to tackle this problem by themselves. Instead there is a need for joint effort with the Police and other law enforcement agencies such as the coast guard. This concept of inter agency cooperation is now suggested as the most appropriate means to protect society, with each individual agencies bringing unique capabilities to a collective national and perhaps regional effort.

The hosting of CWC 2007 presents an ideal opportunity to explore this level of cooperation and collaboration both nationally and regionally. Unfortunately the role of Customs is still not fully appreciated by security planners even at this late stage. While everyone expects Customs to provide a fast and efficient service, the thought of goods and people going through our borders without even a cursory check is extremely frightening. In the context of what is proposed for Cricket world cup, I would prefer to see our customs department applying risk management techniques and making clearance decisions based on intelligence and advance information. In other words we should adopt an approach which balances our role as facilitators of trade with the need to ensure that society remains adequately protected.

Ladies and gentlemen, Customs Departments are uniquely positioned to offer much more than revenue collection. Their role as a law enforcement and border security agency has assumed greater importance since the escalation of the terrorism threat. In the face of increasing problems with counterfeited goods, Customs Officers the world over are being called upon to increase their vigilance and stop the illegal trading in counterfeit goods. They must also help to stop money laundering, and the illegal trafficking of humans. To achieve this, Customs must exercise control over the aircraft and vessels which enter our air space territorial sea and the air and sea ports. The ability to exercise effective control depend on a number of factors including the motivation of officers, the equipment and resources at their disposal and the level of support available.

In this day and age Customs Officers face many challenges in carrying out their responsibilities, including getting their property vandalised and receiving death threats. There are recent examples of officers in the Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago who have paid the ultimate price of losing their lives for doing their jobs the right way. Nowadays the job of a Customs Officer can be considered as being a hazardous occupation, requiring specialised training, equipment and insurance coverage. Although such matters have been on the regional agenda for some time, there is still a lot of ground to be covered before we can get to a situation where the job of a Customs Officer is given the respect it truly deserves.

So Mr Comptroller let me congratulate you and your staff for deciding to celebrate International Customs day for the first time here in Dominica. I applaud your efforts to put your department in the limelight and under the scrutiny of the public. This exposure will definitely help to build a new and positive image for your department and will go a long way in gaining public support. I wish you every success in your endeavours today and for the foreseeable future.

I thank you