–anticipates quicker processing of imports/exports

THE Shipping Association of Guyana (SAG) is happy that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has recently acquired a mobile container scanner, which, reportedly, would undoubtedly increase efficiency in the processing of imports and exports.President of the SAG, Mr. Desmond Sears, recently opined that shippers would greatly benefit from the operations of this state-of-the-art container scanner. He said: “SAG welcomes this development. Containers, particularly those containing exports, will be processed much more quickly. The ships will load faster, and leave on time with less delays, all to the benefit of the suppliers.”
He stressed that delays can be very costly for suppliers, saying: “For example, I am aware that, at the moment, numbers of containers are building up on the wharves in Guyana, Trinidad and Suriname, because the ship which is supposed to pick them up is at the moment delayed in St. Lucia. Such situations are exasperating for suppliers, who will not get paid until their goods are delivered.”
Sears said that although this situation was not local, it illustrated what can happen if there is not a great degree of efficiency in scanning containers of goods, particularly for export.
“There is a domino effect, and we are happy that the new scanner will help to ensure that shippers in our port are not affected in this way,” he said.

Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh commissioned the cutting edge technological equipment during a ceremony held earlier this month.
Saying that implementation of the scanner brings Guyana into compliance with international standards, Dr Singh pointed out that some of the country’s major trading partners, including the United States, now require universal scanning of containers coming into their ports.

The equipment was obtained from the People’s Republic of China at a cost of US$4.3M.
“We would not be able to participate smoothly in international trade if we did not have this capability,” Dr Singh disclosed. He added: “In addition to bringing Guyana into compliance with international standards, and placing it at the cutting edge of technology, the scanner represents an important part of our artillery in completeness and accuracy of declarations with respect to exports and imports.”

(By Clifford Stanley)