Some hiccups as new customs clearing system kicks in

A new clearing
system designed
to help Botswana’s
revenue collection
authority to speed up the flow
of growing volumes of crossborder
trade is continuing to
experience teething problems,
according to Lucas Barreto,
chairman of the Freight &
Customs Clearing Agents
Association of Botswana
(FCCAAB).
While the transition has
been relatively
smooth there
have been some
hiccups.
“We are
simply not
training well
enough in
the customs
environment in
Botswana,” he
said. “Customs
officials
themselves
are not up to
standard with
the system and neither are the
various stakeholders. Better
training would make a major
difference.”
Introduced by the Botswana
Unified Revenue Services
(BURS), the system was rolled
out in phases which did assist
in the transition from the old
to the new, said Barreto.
Ultimately the system was
planned to interconnect with
other government bodies like
transport, agriculture and the
police departments, explained
Barreto.
“They are currently working
on tests with
commercial
banks to
introduce
direct debits
which will
effect payments
immediately.”
At the
moment
traders process
EFT payments
into the new
Customs
Management
System (CMS) and they then
have to drive to BURS from
all corners of the country to
upload payments.
The CMS replaced the
14-year-old Automated
System for Customs Data
(ASYCUDA)++ which no
longer met the revenue
authority’s needs.
According to Barreto the
first phase of the new system
went relatively well, but there
are still concerns around
the lack of interconnectivity.
“Challenges do exist with
the new system and while
admittedly much of it has to
do with traders and customs
familiarising themselves
with it there have been some
delays.”
He said delays added
to already high
logistics costs in
Botswana and it was
imperative they be
kept to a minimum.
The second phase
of the new customs
system is expected
to kick off before the
end of the year and
involves extending
the National Single
Window platform.
Barreto said
through a single
electronic
submission of
documents and
data, traders
would have less paperwork and
spend less time obtaining the
required permits, certificates,
clearances and licences for
their goods.
Ultimately Botswana will
interface its IT
system with
all its
neighbouring countries
– Namibia, South Africa,
Zimbabwe and Zambia –
ensuring that goods from
any of these countries are
processed simultaneously in
Botswana. Staged negotiations
with neighbouring countries
are still to be carried out
for future trade facilitation
within the Sacu and
SADC region.
INSERT
We are simply not
training well enough
in the customs
environment in
Botswana.
– Lucas Barreto