00:00The container examination service station was closed about three months ago, and according
00:05to some stakeholders, this was due to a rat infestation.
00:08The Customs Division, in a notice to stakeholders dated October 29, 2024, said the said station
00:15would be closed until November 30, 2024.
00:18However, in another notice issued on Tuesday, November 19, Customs indicated that a resumption
00:25of operations has been delayed until the 2nd of January, 2025.
00:30The new notice pointed to a need for repairs and stated that a procurement process has
00:35commenced and it is anticipated that all requisite repairs will be executed to facilitate the
00:41new reopening date provided.
00:44While Customs said it had implemented all interim measures for the continuation of the
00:49operations, the problem continues to adversely impact those relying on the said station,
00:55which would generally be importers.
00:57They sometimes have to find a place where their containers can be opened and examined
01:02by Customs officers.
01:03Vice President of the Association of TNT Holi, as Apollo Arjun tells us, there are guidelines
01:09to follow in having containers at premises.
01:13It is discouraged to have heavy equipment in residential areas.
01:17It is encouraged.
01:18In fact, we have an agreement that containers should have, be on certain routes and be on
01:26certain places.
01:28Commercial cargo has to be in industrial places set by the government and when you have places
01:35that are set for offloading and loading containers being closed, let's say the Cess handles 20
01:43containers in one day.
01:46Now you are being forced to be given extended days.
01:50And it's coming at an additional cost for port rent.
01:54It's a problem that was raised by Vice President of the Shugunas Chamber of Industry and Commerce,
01:58Dr. Valmiki Arjun, who said that the process to get Customs to clear premises containers
02:05can be lengthy and further to that, many importers are paying extra for Customs over time.
02:12President of the ATTH, Reza Ali, is making a call to the authorities.
02:16At this juncture, the time period is taken to have this ratified.
02:23It's prolonged to a great degree.
02:24And we would encourage that the people that are responsible for opening up the Cess, we
02:30encourage them to have normal operations resume.
02:34Well, TV6 News has reached out to the Comptroller of Customs, Yasmin Harris, via email on two
02:41occasions.
02:42November 14th and November 19th.
02:45That email address was provided to us by the Customs Division.
02:49Included in our questions to Ms. Harris was what is being done to minimize any disadvantage
02:54to clients at the Port of Port of Spain, as well as asking Customs to address the claims
03:00that importers have to pay the overtime of Customs officers.
03:04Both emails have gone unanswered.
03:07Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
03:12For more information visit www.fema.gov
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