TRINIDAD: May 3, 2016: The Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with the CARIFORUM Secretariat and the European Union facilitated a training workshop on Customs and Trade Facilitation on Tuesday 3rd May, 2016.
The one day training session which targeted stakeholders of Customs and other trade regulatory agencies and the private sector formed a part of the capacity building programme related to the Customs and Trade Facilitation aspects of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
Ms. Karlene Roach, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry in her Opening Remarks said that ‘Trinidad and Tobago’s Policy Framework is focused on maximizing the benefits and opportunities under the EPA; as such capacity building in customs and trade facilitation is critical to enable T&T to take advantage of opportunities afforded by the EPA. The training will enhance the human, legal and institutional capacity of both the public and private sector to better allow T&T to honour its commitment and attain the objectives of the EPA’. She also thanked the CARIFORUM Secretariat, Consultants at Equinoccio and the European Union for their contributions in making this training course a reality.
In his Opening Remarks to the fifty (50) plus participants, Mr. Glen Singh, Acting Comptroller, Customs and Excise Division, Ministry of Finance underscored the importance of the training. He said ‘the course will provide a good understanding of how the EPA is designed to be a driver of change that will help kick start reform and contribute to good economic governance which will help the Region attract investment and boost economic growth’.
The training course expounded on areas such as what is trade facilitation; the identification of trade facilitation measures in EPA; Principles of modernized Customs Legislation; Modern Customs Techniques and Mechanisms for Customs Cooperation. Participants of the training programme included representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries; Customs and Excise Division, Ministry of Finance; exporTT Limited; The Shipping Association of Trinidad and Tobago; Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards; Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association; Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Limited; American Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago; Port Authority and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
