Two years since the introduction of a new customs system in Botswana forwarders are still struggling with delays and a lack of communication when clearing cargo.
Lucas Barreto, chairman of the Freight & Customs Clearing Agents Association of Botswana (FCCAAB), told FTW that even though the Customs Management System had been operational for two years it still operated as if in a pilot phase.
“We are still experiencing long delays at the border posts,” said Barreto. “Anything from system breakdowns to Internet failures and a host of other problems in between are occurring on a regular basis. This severely impacts trade.”
The Customs Management System two years ago replaced the 14-year-old Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA)++, which no longer adequately met the Botswana Unified Revenue Service’s (BURS) needs.
According to Barreto forwarders were still not seeing the benefits of the new system which was expected to improve clearing times and facilitate trade. And he said forwarders had received little support from BURS with regard to the system's ongoing challenges.
“The service delivery is simply not there,” he said. “When the system is down there has to be a Plan B, but that is not the case. Something has to be done to address the situation as these ongoing delays are pushing up costs and severely hampering trade – which a landlocked country like Botswana can ill afford.”
He said training of BURS staff was also a problem with many still not up to speed with the new clearing system. “There are real skills shortages and we are not training customs officials well enough. This is all exacerbated by the fact that regional managers do not want to take initiative or responsibility when it comes to practical solutions on the ground. The end result therefore is that when the system goes down, it’s down and one has to wait it out.”
With these challenges occurring at all the border posts, Barreto said it had massive cost implications for trade. “This is not just a cost issue for industry, but a great loss to the daily revenue of this country. If the system is down BURS is not collecting relevant applicable customs duties and taxes. For good trade facilitation we have to address these issues sooner rather than later.”
He said this included improving harmonisation of systems between the private sector and government as well as with the rest of the region. “BURS needs, among other things, to look closely at their communication and feedback system to stakeholders. “The deployment of an IT support team should also be considered as the system is currently experiencing continuous performance challenges.”
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This is not just a cost issue for industry, but a great loss to the daily revenue of this country. – Lucas Barreto
