A week-long World Customs Organization (WCO) Workshop on Time Release study (TRS) is underway at the WCO Regional Training Centre at Revenue and Customs Complex in Suva. The workshop is being attended by 40 participants from Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, Biosecurity Authority of Fiji, Department of Immigration, Ministry of Health and Medical Services and Fiji Ports Corporation Limited.

The facilitators of the workshop are Mr. Samson Bilangna, Senior Technical Officer from the WCO and Mr. Sompasong Amphaengphai, WCO TRS Accredited expert, Lao PDR Customs. The workshop is funded by the Customs Co-operation Fund Japan.

During the workshop, participants will learn and share experiences with the facilitators on the significance of carrying out a TRS and how the FRCS and other stakeholders involved in facilitating trade can benefit from the insight and findings of the TRS.

The expected outcomes of the workshop include:

• Enhanced competence and confidence in the implementation of the WCO TRS tool, in collecting, recording and analyzing the data as well as reporting and conclusion of a TRS; and
• Competence to build a base to conduct national TRS to support Customs-to-Government, Customs-to-Customs and Customs-to-Business initiatives.
• FRCS and all stakeholders continue to work towards reducing the clearance time from the arrival until release of goods by finding ways to introduce additional trade facilitation measures.

While delivering the opening address on behalf of the FRCS CEO, the chief guest Mr. Fazrul Rahman (Director Revenue Management for FRCS), thanked all the agencies that agreed to participate in the workshop, emphasising the positive collaboration that has been enduring amongst the border agencies in Fiji.

He also re-iterated the need to appreciate the correlation between efficient border clearance processes to increase in trade and further to national economic growth. Furthermore, he also highlighted the need to identify where there is improvement needed. “We will know where we all stand and more importantly where the gaps or opportunities are that we must address. And we must address these.”

The workshop ends on Friday 21 December 2018.

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