International Customs Day & Week 2022

NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 2022 29 products guided by international zoo-sanitary standards sanctioned by the World Trade Organization. The importance of this should not be lost in today’s globalised world, which not only brings about an increase in cross-border trade in goods and services but also an in- creased risk of transboundary ani- mal diseases. It is challenging for the cur- rent generation of Jamaicans to appreciate the economic and social impacts associated with the introduction of transbound- ary animal diseases that have re- mained mostly absent from the region. However, 2021 saw the reintroduction of African Swine Fever (ASF) to the region, and an existential threat to our local swine population with the disease currently present in neighbouring Hispaniola. Maybe the threat of the introduction of ASF to Jamaica would be best understood by en- visioning the ‘Jerk Pork’ industry in ruin and the associated so- cio-economic fallout. The VSD, in response, has increased surveil- lance at all airports and seaports for illegally smuggled pork and pork products from all countries; increased communication with all major stakeholders regionally and locally; and increased awareness of ASF through print and social media. The VSD also continues to monitor the movement of a new Highly Pathogenic strain of Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 which is currently devastating domestic poultry and avian wildlife in Asia and Europe. The threats to the re- gion and Jamaica’s local poultry industry and wildlife population by H5N1 should also be taken seriously. In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic created a myriad of logistical chal- lenges for importers, with many countries facing an acute level of food insecurity emerging from disrupted food supply chains. Throughout the pandemic, the VSD has monitored the adjust- ments made by international gov- ernment regulatory partners and implemented, in most cases, the acceptance of certified electronic zoo-sanitary certification. This is a measure that will be continued in 2022 with the potential for greater reform. The importance of a veterinary import permit and an accompany- ing official zoo-sanitary certificate cannot be overstated in the trade of live animals and animal products, which the VSD will continue to en- force with strong measures against non-compliant importers. VSD remains committed to all its stakeholders and continues to monitor transboundary animal dis- ease threats as well as threats to the global food supply chain. It will also seek to find ways to continue to facilitate trade in a safe and sci- entific way without compromising animal health, public health, and food safety. Contributed by: DR SIMONE MARTIN-SHAW, BSC, DVM, MSC Senior Veterinary Officer Veterinary Services Division Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries CUSTOMS WEEK The Jamaica Customs Agency undertakes the destruction of items/goods that are seized under the Trademarks and Copyright Acts, respectively. The destruction is done by the Agency’s Contraband Enforcement Team (CET), overseen by auditors of the JCA, as well as the Legal Representative(s) of the Copyright Holders.