Don’t miss this opportunity to influence Customs legislation!

Last year, a year of continued recession, was a real challenge and struggle for the survival of individuals and companies alike, and reminded us of the dangers of complacency and shortsightedness. It was also a year of exciting developments on the Customs front with Customs attempting to improve its level of service and simplify certain processes. Some of the developments that took place during 2009 were: • the unveiling of the Customs Modernisation Programme; • major improvements in electronic communication with Sars and Customs in particular; • the publication by Customs of the discussion document on Customs/Excise Administrative Monetary Penalty System (CAMPS/ EAMPS); • the release of the draft Customs Control and Customs Duty Bills for public comment. Most dedicated and conscientious individuals wishing to make a contribution to governing customs legislation will have spent the Christmas and New Year period scrutinising the draft Customs Bills before the deadline for comment on February 26. We wish to encourage all to participate in the various processes of change taking place, no matter how small the contribution may be. This is your opportunity to influence the legislation governing Customs procedures. Many experts believe that 2010 will be a year of growth for most well-run companies. This will lead to the need to hire/re-hire qualified staff. When hiring staff, a thorough screening process is recommended. Furthermore, with all the changes that have taken place and are still due to take place in the New Year, we recommend that all new and existing staff undergo Customs-specific refresher courses/seminars to ensure that the potential for growth is not stifled by bad decisions or processes due to lack of knowledge. We hope 2010 will be a prosperous year for all of you and that we can continue to be your partners in growth.