JONES
THE JAMAICA Customs Department has introduced new rules to govern the use of its privately-bonded warehouses in an effort to recover outstanding fees owed to that department.
Hector Jones, commissioner of customs, told Parliament's Public Accounts Committee last Tuesday, that the new rules were introduced because several private companies that used these warehouses were indebted to the Customs Department.
One outstanding payment was in the sum of $10 million. The arrears have been owed to the department since 1993.
Mr. Jones said the department was in the process of recovering the arrears through the courts.
But Auditor General Adrian Strachan said he was concerned about the accumulation of the arrears and asked what was being done to address the problem.
Mr. Jones said a control system had since been put in place to prevent a repeat of the accumulation.
"This has actually been done. We are currently collecting money from all warehouses on a timely basis because we have since put controls in place," he said.
Mr. Jones added that one such measure included adjusting how bonds were written for the use of the warehouses.
The bonds now include all fees due to the Customs Department.
