The Governor General Sir Patrick Allen said the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) will this year ramp up its efforts to detect contraband and uncustomed goods through the procurement and deployment at various ports of entry, cargo imaging scanners.

He said this forms part of the overall plan by the agency to drive economic growth through trade facilitation, revenue collection, and border protection.

He said customs would intensify its trade facilitation programme to improve service delivery.

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On the issue of public sector transformation, the Governor General said this exercise would continue this year with 18 public bodies slated to be rationalised.

The creation of a central database of all Government employees is also to be done to allow for evidence-based decisions.