BVI News

CAPS is yielding big dividends and doing what it’s suppose to

Commissioner of Customs Wade Smith

Commissioner of Customs Wade Smith has disagreed with recent sentiments coming out of the House of Assembly that the Customs Automated Processing System (CAPS) contributes to wasting state resources.

CAPS provides for all trader declarations forms to Customs to be completed and submitted online. However, Opposition Leader Marlon Penn said while the system is quite good, “a lot of aspects of it is ill-conceived”.

Penn said this should not be the case for a system that costs more than $5 million.

Responding to the statement on ZBVI radio recently, Commissioner Smith said the aforesaid figure is “a drop in the bucket” compared to the money CAPS brings in for the department annually.

“Since the implementation of CAPS, the Customs Department has gone from the collection of revenue which is under $27 million annually to a number in the range of $40 million collected annually. So you’re seeing an increase in tens of millions of dollars. So a $5 million investment which could yield tens of millions of dollars; if you do the maths, I think that’s an investment that is yielding tremendous dividends. I don’t know of any other investment that has yielded that amount of dividends in a short space of time,” Smith reasoned.

Continuously improving

One aspect of CAPS for which Penn had an issue was that importers who fill out documentation online are still required to provide a print-out of those documents when they go to collect their goods at the ports.

Smith didn’t address the printing aspect directly but said: “Our information can be submitted electronically from any part of the world. And right now, even with the pandemic, we were way ahead of the game in terms of having our information submitted electronically, receiving summaries electronically, receiving their documents, and for importers to proceed directly to the ports of entry — whether it be the airport or the seaport — to clear their goods.”

He further said the CAPS is at least a decade ahead of its time and Customs continues to improve the system. He said they continue to invite importers to submit feedback through surveys; the results of which Customs studies for self-improvement.

Smith also said Customs has weekly meetings to build on the system which was developed through close collaboration with the department and American multinational technology company, IBM.

“We’re not going to remain in one position forever. We’re always coming up with new ideas, new initiatives … The system is doing what it’s supposed to do,” Smith stated, adding that he is proud of CAPS and the hard work of his team that continues to manage and improve on it.

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7 Comments

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  1. lol says:

    I hope foy aint have he drinking out of the lying cup?

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  2. Smh says:

    Sometimes these Department Heads comments really baffle me. Am I supposed to believe that CAPS increased the revenue or in actuality, the revenue has increased because we the importers are importing more. CAPS has only added an additional wait time to clear the goods, first waiting for the T-12 to be approved behind the scene and then waiting at the port to get the goods. And that’s after having to pay a Broker if you don’t have access to the CAPS database. SMH.

    Like 14
  3. Dont take my word for it says:

    https://www.bvicaps.gov.vg/

    Tell me what your browser says when you go here. How stupid do you think people here are?

    • Oh dear says:

      Quite cearly tells me that it is designed for Internet Explorer 8. This is not good news given that technology is obsolete and no longer supported by Microsoft, AND that most people use other browsers these days…

  4. Hmmm says:

    Rat minding cheese lmaooo…things to know

  5. Ezra8 says:

    Stop chasing after profits c’ u just waste the life doing so.
    Luke 14 Forsake all and everyone and yourself to become Christian
    Luke 12, Matthew 6 Sell out, give all to really poor people, and keep alms in secret
    Matthew 5 to 7, Work for J, not for $ ever, then J will give you and your family as well in case they follow the food and clothing
    Help the poor, sick, needy, imprisoned to make J happy Matthew 25
    Mark 16 Share the love & truth to all the world, to everyone
    John 17 Work with others in love and peace
    Don’t take the Mark of the Beast right hand or forehead, the only way to buy or sell (It’s not the covid mask or vaccine, could be quantum tech) Revelation 13,14
    USA is likely the Babylon, to be destroyed with fire in 1 hour, Revelation 17,18 He loves everyone, and we need to love Him back

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