Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville as he officially welcomes WCO delegates to Grand Bahama Wednesday. (BIS Photo/Vandykle Hepburn)
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FREEPORT, Grand Bahama
– Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon.
Dr. Michael Darville
on Wednesday officially welcomed delegates from some
seventy-two countries to Grand Bahama Island, site of the World Customs
Organization IT Conference and Exhibition.
The three-day conclave
which centers around inclusiveness through information technologies, has as its
theme: “IT for an Inclusive Approach in Connecting Customs and Other
Stakeholders in Inter and Intra-Regional Trade.”
The Rt. Hon. Perry
Gladstone Christie, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas was in
Grand Bahama
Wednesday to officially open the conference and exhibition.
Other senior Government
officials attending the opening session at the Grand Lucayan Resort were Minister
of Tourism the Hon. Obie Wilchcombe; Transport and Aviation Minister the Hon.
Glenys Hanna Martin; and the Hon. Michael Halkitis, Minister of State for
Finance.
Dr. Darville took note of
the fact that the WCO Conference is being held in the Caribbean for the first
time and said he was “elated” that the World Customs Organization had chosen
Grand Bahama Island as its host destination.
“As Minister for Grand
Bahama, I extend my appreciation on behalf of the people of Grand Bahama, to
the World Customs Organization and the hundreds of delegates from around the
world, who have come to our beautiful island to discuss innovative ways of
connecting stakeholders, and address the global challenges we face with cross-border
trade,” he stated.
The Minister for Grand
Bahama was also pleased that many government and non-government organizations,
many customs brokerage houses, shipping and manufacturing companies from across
Grand Bahama would get an opportunity to be exposed to new innovative customs
solutions by some of the leading experts from around the world.
“I trust that in general,
these sessions will be fruitful and that every delegate, whether international
or local, will leave this conference with a wealth of knowledge that will
promote best practices and foster cooperation and coordination between
government and non-government agencies in your respective communities and
countries,” Dr. Darville said.
He also encouraged the
visiting delegates to take time out of their busy schedule to enjoy the
friendly Bahamian hospitality and enjoy all that Grand Bahama has to offer.
Also addressing the opening
session Wednesday was Charles Turner, Comptroller of Bahamas Customs.
He said that the conference
comes at an opportune time for his organization, as the Bahamas Customs and
Excise Department is currently engaged in a major Customs modernization
programme, funded through an Inter-American Development Bank loan.
“While the programme covers
every facet of Customs operations, at its heart is the implementation of a
Bahamas regulatory Electric Single Window,” he said.
He also stressed that the
Conference will showcase new application technologies and methodologies which
can provide greater trade facilitation to commercial operators while also
improving compliance levels and border control.
Mr. Turner further stated
that it is his belief that the conference will also provide a valuable
opportunity to explore how governments and industry can work more closely to
drive and contribute to economic competitiveness.
Delegates attending the
opening session also heard from Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the
World Customs Organization.