Bimal leads panel to address slow container release from SL Customs
COLOMBO – The Sri Lanka government has appointed a panel led by Bimal Ratnayake, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, to take necessary steps to fast-track the release of containers from the port without any delay.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to appoint a panel.
Importers have complained of slow clearance of containers due to delays in checking by Customs officials.
“Customs officers determine which containers need to be inspected at the exit gates and conduct a physical scan of the containers,” a government document stated, noting that various issues have arisen in the clearance process in the past, resulting in an increased number of containers being inspected by customs officials daily
An increase in the number of ships arriving at the port has also been observed, it said.
The panel is “to take necessary steps to implement an appropriate system to release containers from the port without any delay by further improving the efficiency of the current system for container release.”
Importers also have said slow release of containers in the past has also been a strategy by some corrupt Customs officers to obtain bribes.
The Customs Spokesman did not respond to queries on the delays in the release of containers.
A Customs officer who did not wish to be identified, however, said the container release has slowed after a new Integrity Unit was established within the Customs in line with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommendation to reduce corruption.
“Since the establishment of this unit, Customs officials have been taking more time to complete checking despite complaints on the delays by importers,” the official said.
-economynext.com
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.