THE UNITED States Customs Department is currently providing technical support to assist local businesses to become certified under the local Chapter of Business Anti- Smuggling Coalition (BASC).
The Business Anti-Smuggling Coalition BASC is a non-profit organization with the main objective of promoting the development and execution of preventive actions to avoid the trade of narcotics through legitimate commerce, among its membership. BASC is a cooperation programme between the private sector and national and foreign organizations to safeguard international commerce. It also promotes and helps to strengthen the standards of security and the protection of international commerce.
As part of the startup activities for the local Chapter, the Jamaica Exporters Association, which is spearheading the local initiative, invited the US Customs to conduct a workshop as well as audits of model exporters and security firms, from February 24 to 28, 2003. The workshop,was held in Kingston recently and involved US representatives, the Minister of National Security, and about 90 other participants of interest groups (maritime, aviation and exporters) participated.
Speaking at the workshop, Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips highlighted that seizures of most major drugs have shown increases over the past decade and this was achieved through improved narcotics intelligence and greater international co-operation. He congratulated the JEA for spearheading the launch of BASC and expressed the hope that "this will send a clear message to smugglers that the national anti smuggling efforts have been
strengthened".
A Memorandum of Understanding for BASC was signed in June 2002 by the Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Technology, Jamaica Exporters Association, Shipping Association, JAMPRO, Port Authority of Jamaica, Civil Aviation Authority of Jamaica and the Airports Authority of Jamaica.
