NCE/SAC workshop on ASYCUDA World - Online system
"The Sri Lanka Customs is now streamlining its processes and
procedures to facilitate the export/import community," Dr. Neville
Gunawardena, the new Customs Chief highlighted at a workshop organized
by the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) and the
Shippers' Academy Colombo (SAC) recently on the subject of 'Automation
of Customs'.
The ASYCUDA World online system will start introducing step by step
automation and take the Customs Department towards a paperless
environment by the end of 2012.
The National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka, Past President
Kulathunga Rajapaksa stated that this move will help our exporters to
reduce transaction cost and time.
CEO Shippers' Academy Colombo, Rohan Masakorala congratulated the
Customs Department and its officials for expediting implementation of a
long outstanding system that would help the competitive environment of
the country. He said trade facilitation is the key to enable our
products to compete in the global platform. Speed and ease in export
import clearance is a key requirement and the Customs Department plays a
vital role in this connection as the nerve centre.
Speaking at the event which comprised a large gathering of the trade,
representative of other institutions such as the SLPA, SAGT, BOI, Sri
Lanka Tea Board, BOC stated that they will contribute to the efforts of
the Customs and they will be offering online services to facilitate
exporters and importers via the ASYCUDA System by linking the respective
networks. Bank of Ceylon has already started to offer online payment
accounts, where exporters and importers can make payments on line to
customs and the SLPA by March 2012.
Making the presentation outlining the customs system, Dr. Tharaka
Mahaulpatha urged the trade to work with customs to make the project a
success.
He stated that it is necessary for the exporters and importers to
register with the Customs ASYCUDA system which is to be implemented, and
as a first step to register for the Direct Trader Input (DTI) facility
by March 2012, so that the benefits of the online system could be
introduced. The Customs Department indicated the time-lines for changes,
and informed the trade to be ready for the transformation. |