A week long Sub-Regional workshop on Risk and Compliance got underway at the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service Regional Training Centre, Nasese, Suva this morning.

Organized by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and funded by the Japan Customs, the workshop will provide opportunities to identify common mitigating strategies and share best practices, experiences, methods and approaches in applying risk and compliance management principles among the members of the Pacific Islands and enhancing overall enforcement competence to combat fraudulent acts.

Revenue and Customs Chief Executive Officer Mr. Visvanath Das in his opening address stated that in recent years’ risk management has gained importance due to challenges caused by economic integration, regulatory changes, vulnerability to porous border, high potential and rise of transnational crime, and the threat of terrorism with other trends and factors.

“Customs Administration around the globe apply risk management tools to set the recommended principals to assist fight and disrupt tax and customs crimes, illicit financial gains & money laundering activities, environmental and other identified risks followed by prioritization and allocation of scarce resources. The objective is to minimize the probability and impact of undesired events, maintain high-level of accountability and stakeholder involvement along with transparent communications”.

“The risk management has become an eminent part of the Customs instrument and management function – a holistic risk-oriented mindset and a strategic attitude are recommended in application across risk management domains”.

Mr. Das told participants that supply chain risk management is seen as a prudent way to control uncertainties in suppling information and intelligence through networks. By the use of risk management, administration can mitigate and avoid detrimental disruptions that hinder or even halt the flow of goods within supply chains.

“Supply chain risk management was a considerably unexplored research domain and received wider attention in the Customs community following the terrorist attacks of September 11, and thereafter an increasing number of terrorism activities around the world and a more recent one to our very neighboring country (New Zealand) that has a very devastating impact. It also triggers a major concern to the Pacific Island nations who all should rise up to prevent and disrupt this extremist activity,” Mr. Das said.

Mr. Norikazu Kuramoto from Japan Customs also highlighted the need for risk based approach given the high amount of cargos, passengers and goods that pass through our borders.

“With rapid increase in the international trade and movement of cargos, it is vital to use effective information based on risk assessment for profiling. Through these workshop participants will be able to share ideas and concepts for better risk management.”

Twenty-Seven (27) participants from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Timor Leste, Tonga and Vanuatu are part of the workshop, conducted by three facilitators from Australia, India and Japan. The workshop finishes this Friday- 22^nd March 2019.

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