I wish to highlight the volatile situation of the Customs & Excise Guards Personnel of the Customs and Excise Guards Establishment within the Customs & Excise Division.
Customs and Excise Guards, what's happening with the process of recruitment and appointments of the Customs and Excise Guards Grade 1 at the moment?
Is it that there is another move of extinction to abolish the Customs and Excise Guards Personnel from within the ambit of the Customs and Excise Division? This clandestine recommendation was specifically proposed by the former Administration of the Customs and Excise Division as reflective in Cabinet Minute No 2622 dated October 22, 1992 to former Prime Minister Patrick Manning Administration.
However, based on representation by the Public Service Association, the former Prime Minister Mr Basdeo Panday put the above Cabinet Minute on hold as implied in Cabinet Minute. No 513 dated March 5, 1998 as advised by the Solicitor General and the completion of a strategic review for the Division.
Subsequent to this period, the Public Service Association was very fortunate for the rescinding of the decision to abolish positions of Customs and Excise Guards of the staff establishment of the Customs and Excise Division by the Manning administration. This decision is reflective in Cabinet Minutes No 80 of January 13, 2005.
Since then the staff establishment of (246) personnel has dwindled to a meagre 83 permanent appointees.
As a consequences of the Express Newspapers Publication released on page 10 of May 10, 2014 a Cadre of 76 Customs and Excise Officers 1 were to be recruited to fill the various vacancies. Prior to this, a compliment of Acting Customs and Excise Officer 1 had been appointed on a temporary basis until the examination for Customs and Excise Officer 1.
This policy should also be applicable to the Customs and Excise Guards 1 whose role is essentially to control the movements of passengers baggage and cargo at all sea ports, air ports and warehouses including the very important aspect of boarder security. It may also help to combat the proliferation of firearms, ammunition, illicit drugs and other prohibited and restricted goods by smugglers and violators of the Customs Laws.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon the customs and Excise Administration to request the compliment of staff for the Customs and Excise Guards because the Customs and Excise Division is an Enforcement Arm of State in accordance with the Customs Act of Chapter 78:01.
Mervyn Daniel,
Former Chairman,
Custom and Excise Guards Section,
Public Services Association