Durrant Pate/Contributor

A comprehensive Time Release Study (TRS) has commenced in Jamaica with the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) taking the lead in assessing the average time taken for goods to be cleared through Customs, from arrival to release.

This important initiative is being undertaken in accordance with Article 7.6.1 of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) to which Jamaica is a signatory. This provision encourages member states to publish the average release time for imports and exports, in an effort to promote transparency and efficiency in cross-border trade.

The last TRS conducted by the JCA was in 2009. Since then, the agency has undergone several transformative modernisation initiatives, including the implementation of the Jamaica Single Window for Trade (JSWIFT), updates to the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA World), and a wide-scale revision of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The TRS is an internationally recognised methodology developed by the WCO to assess and measure the average clearance time of import and export goods, including warehousing activities..

Primary focus of the study

The study will focus primarily on marine cargo clearance activities within the Kingston area, which accounts for the majority of Jamaica’s trade flows. Temporary imports and goods destined for long-term warehousing will not be included in this round of the study.

The findings from the TRS will inform policy development and support the country’s goals for improving business competitiveness and overall enhancing the ease of doing business in Jamaica. As the TRS gets underway, stakeholders and members of the trading community are encouraged to support the process. 

JCA’s Director of Planning and Research (WCO Technical and Operational Advisor) Earl Stewart, emphasises that the TRS is not just a regulatory requirement but is an internationally recognised methodology developed by the WCO  to assess and measure the average clearance time of import and export goods, including warehousing activities.

For him, the TRS “is a strategic tool. It allows us to assess the efficiencies of our operations, strengthen our international reputation, and attract foreign direct investment by demonstrating that Jamaica is a reliable and efficient trading partner”. 

He says the modernisation effect by JCA was aimed at enhancing the efficiency of border clearance procedures, which are measured by the TRS, noting that, “it is not advisable to conduct a TRS in the middle of a modernisation process, as it would not provide an accurate reflection of operational performance. Now, having completed several upgrades, it is the right time to measure the impact of those changes.”