Marcia Bent elected CBFFAJ president; addresses contactless clearance policy

MARCIA BENNETT was elected president of the Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association of Jamaica (CBFFAJ) at the organisation’s 58th annual general meeting recently.

Bent, the managing director of Ferguson’s Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders, previously served in the post between 2014 and 2017.

As part of her mandate, Bent said the CBFFAJ will continue expanding its membership development and advocacy initiatives. Additionally, the association’s members will continue to lobby for action regarding the contactless clearance policy, which it said threatens the viability and jobs of up to 3,000 people.

Contactless clearance is the process by which Customs conducts inspections of non-commercial cargo with a cost, insurance and freight value of under US$5,000, without the importer or agent needing to be present.

CBFFAJ immediate Past President Clive Coke told the gathering that the process will reduce customer service standards. “Why would an agency of the State that relies on the services of customs brokering, and that provides licensing for professional customs brokering, want to introduce a policy and procedures that would hurt customs brokers?” he asked.

The largely unchanged CBFFAJ executive body comprises Clive Coke as immediate past president; vice-presidents Paulette Watt-McIntosh, Hazelyn Brown, Ann Brown-Chang and Leon Smith; honorary treasurer Roger Stewart; assistant honorary treasurer Javar Wilson; honorary secretary Suzette McNab-Wiggan; assistant honorary secretary Roxanne Williams; executives Susan Neil, Jacquline Mason-Reid, Vivienne Frankson,Mark King, Ramon Binns,Trevor Powell, Michael Brown and Colin Cunningham.