CBFFAJ president urges members to meet pandemic challenges

Member companies of the Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association of Jamaica (CBFFAJ) have invested in agile technologies and professional development programmes to expand and improve services to their broad-based clientele in the import-export and distributive trade, said Clive Coke, president of the CBFFAJ, at the 56th annual general meeting in Kingston on July 3.

He said customs brokers became more proficient during the pandemic and have applied the experience to deliver robust customs brokerage services, while looking at the use of blockchain technology in their global logistics operations.

“We are cognisant of the rapidly changing logistics dynamics across the world,” Coke said, adding, “The association is a leading voice in the sector, and we believe that we can collectively and effectively lobby the Government for new policies and the facilitating environment to support our business initiatives.”

In a challenge for members to be “extraordinary in the face of the ordinary”, Coke lauded them for holding steady amid the pandemic and for making significant investments in training and staff development programmes.

“We are critical to the economic recovery of Jamaica post-COVID-19, and we’ve all had to work harder to recover and to rebuild from the impact of COVID-19 to keep our businesses viable, save the jobs of our employees, and to go above and beyond to provide superb customer service to our clients,” said Coke.

He also reiterated the CBFFAJ’s commitment to deepen its relationship with the Jamaica Customs Agency and to engage other stakeholders in the best interests of the country and the association’s membership.