NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 25 INT’L CUSTOMS DAY & CUSTOMS WEEK 2024 FEATURE CUSTOMS NEWS IN REVIEW Jamaica Customs strengthens response to border threats THE YEAR saw Jamaica Customs Agency undergoing several new initiatives to improve the agency’s response to existing and emerging border risks. Among the initiatives was a risk management training. The training workshop, delivered by Duncan Porter (World Customs Organisation), is expected to, among other things, develop effective risk-management strategies in order to interdict firearms trafficking and smuggling attempts at legal ports of entry. CEO and Commissioner of Customs Mrs Velma Ricketts Walker delivers her address to Special Olympians at the handover ceremony for a cheque valued at $4 million, held on August 17, 2023, at the Office of the Police Commissioner in Kingston. Customs CEO issues uplifting message to Special Olympians JAMAICA CUSTOMS Agency continued its ongoing partnership with Special Olympics Jamaica. The agency made a financial donation to the Special Olympics team’s journey to Germany. CEO/Commissioner Velma Ricketts Walker, JP, used the moment to issue an uplifting message to the team. She said: “Today, the Jamaica Customs Agency is very pleased to be part of this very special occasion, as we share in the handing over of contributions gained from the Law Enforcement Torch Run in July earlier this year.” She noted that the JCA’s partnership on this initiative is “extremely important”, and since its inception, the agency has looked forward to contributing to the cause. “While our mandates are geared towards revenue collection, trade facilitation, and border protection, our social responsibility mandate requires us to give ourselves and our hearts to worthwhile and meaningful causes, such as this,” she pledged. From left: Duncan Potter, project coordinator, ‘Project Bolt’, World Customs Organisation, explains a diagram to Racquel Neath, director for risk management, and Marlon Lowe, deputy CEO for border protection at Customs, prior to the start of the two-day workshop on risk management planning, held at the Customs head office in Kingston on Thursday, August 24, 2023.
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