News
JAM | Mar 16, 2023

Jamaica improving cost and time to trade across borders

/ Our Today

administrator
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Minister of Industry and Commerce Aubyn Hill. (Photo: JIS)

Jamaica has started the process of onboarding import/export services provided by the main cross-border regulatory agencies (CBRAs) of the Jamaica Single Window for Trade (JSWIFT) platform.

Senator Aubyn Hill, minister of industry, investment and commerce, says when completed, this will result in tremendous improvement in the cost and time to trade across borders.

JSWIFT is a single electronic platform providing fully automated access to all cross-border regulatory agencies, enabling traders and their representatives to transact all businesses online.

Speaking at a forum on facilitating competitive, safe and secure cross-border trade, held at the regional headquarters, University of the West indies, Mona yesterday (March 15), Hill indicated that there are several initiatives on the ministry’s agenda to improve trade facilitation.

World Bank Group headquarters in Washington DC. (Photo: Investopedia.com)

Among them is the phased rollout of JSWIFT across the border regulatory agencies and piloting the onboarding of all primary and secondary services of the CBRAs on JSWIFT. The minister spoke about the full digitisation of the permitting/clearance cycle through JSWIFT, thereby achieving paperless clearance at both post-arrival and post-departure ends.

Hill mentioned the updating and modernisation of the legislative framework governing cross-border regulation of trade and goods, and the review of the CBRAs’ fees and charges adding that, “the World Bank Group has committed to supporting the government of Jamaica to review current fees and charges imposed by the CBRAs for importation and exportation services”.

In 2020, Jamaica was ranked 136 out of 190 countries in the World Bank’s Doing Business Report for trading across borders in Latin America and the Caribbean for time to export, import and for costs to export/import.

The workshop, facilitated by the Trade Facilitation Office, sought to ascertain, through presentations and discussions among key players, Jamaica’s status in relation to its trade facilitation reform programme. The office also sought to identify opportunities for economic growth and border regulatory reforms.

Comments

What To Read Next

News JAM Jul 4, 2025

Reading Time: 2 minutesJamaica Labour Party Leader Andrew Holness has reminded all the party’s candidates and representatives that their conduct must reflect the highest standards as they carry the party’s messages on various platforms across the country.

In a letter sent on Tuesday, Holness told the candidates and party representatives that the government they have helped to form has accomplished significant achievements during their terms in office.

News FRA Jul 4, 2025

Reading Time: 2 minutesFrance’s antitrust agency said that on Thursday, it had fined China-founded fast-fashion retailer Shein 40 million euros, equivalent to $47.17 million, for alleged deceptive business practices, including misleading discounts, following a nearly year-long probe.

The agency, in charge of consumer protection as well as competition, said Infinite Style E-Commerce Co Ltd, which handles sales for the Shein brand, had misled customers about discounts, and that the company had accepted the fine.