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The small Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda has launched a new customs management system that has already seen dramatic results in Jamaica.

The Customs Automated System (CASE) was originally developed, and successfully implemented, by the Government of Jamaica in 2003. The Internet-based system was designed to meet the customs challenges unique to small states, and to provide online interaction between such countries and the international trading community.

CASE is credited with increasing revenues for Jamaica by 350%, and for strengthening the transparency and accountability of the customs authority.

Jamaica donated the US$ 2 million system to Antigua and Barbuda, which is implementing the system with the support of the Organization of American States (OAS).

The OAS predicts that CASE could increase Antigua and Barbuda’s customs-related revenue collection by 30% annually, and reduce the time it takes to clear goods arriving at its borders from several days to 24 hours, resulting in significant improvements to the island’s competitiveness.

The initiative has received financial support from IDRC’s Institute for Connectivity in the Americas (ICA/IDRC), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Development Gateway Foundation, the Caribbean Center for Development Administration (CARICAD), and the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs.

For more information, see the press release on the OAS website

2008-08

News 12 of 153