Pinder promotes Customs Management Act to protect global trade
From Bahama Islands Info
NASSAU, The Bahamas — Organising Bahamian global trade professionals to detect the movement of counterfeit goods is the first step to prevent the island nation from being used as a hub for international money laundering and terrorist funding.
Minister of Financial Services, the Hon. Ryan Pinder, spoke to Customs Officers at the Counterfeit trade workshop in tobacco products, held at the Sheraton Cable Beach Resort recently.
“The global trade in counterfeit goods is unfortunately flourishing. In 2007, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development estimated the total global trade in counterfeit goods was in the neighbourhood of $176 billion per year, a figure which is likely higher today,” said Minister Pinder.
“Counterfeit goods do not simply include purses and electronics and by extension copyright and patent infringement but extends past intellectual property rights and has significant human health and safety implications when considering the illegitimate trade in pharmaceuticals, tobacco, and other products for consumption.”
Minister Pinder said customs plays an integral role in the trade regime of The Bahamas by way of the management of the movement of international goods in compliance with the international trade policy of The Bahamas.
“To combat this problem, the Government has undertaken three major projects, the new Customs Management Act which was recently brought into force, a new suite of intellectual property legislation, and a trade sector support loan. The new CMA, as you will hear more about, has greatly extended the powers of Customs officers in The Bahamas,” said Minister Pinder.
“No longer do rights holders have to lodge complaints for infringement before Customs can take action. Customs officers can now seize goods, upon import or export, which they believe to be counterfeit; an extremely proactive measure and one that is important to the development of an external trade regime in The Bahamas.”
Minister Pinder said the Trademarks Bill call on Customs to assist in enforcement matters related to infringement and counterfeit goods. He said Article 63 indicates that rights holders may inform the Comptroller of Customs when he or she believes that a shipment of pirated goods are destined for The Bahamas. Pinder also said the rights holders can request that the shipment be treated as prohibited goods, which is allowed by the First Schedule to the CMA.
“It should also be noted that the gamut of intellectual property rights to be offered for protection in The Bahamas will expand to include the Geographical Indications (GIs) and new plant varieties,” said Minister Pinder.
“As a result, Customs officers will also have to be trained in these new areas to be able to detect infringement. We must continue to develop our human capacity in these new areas of enforcement and evolution of new product types and legal protections.”
Minister Pinder said to ensure the successful execution of these two mammoth legislative projects, the Government last year secured a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank, or the IDB, for the modernisation of trade institutions.
“The bulk of this 16.5 million dollar loan is specifically dedicated to Customs reform and it is anticipated that through training, restructuring, and advanced technology, the Bahamas Customs Department will be amongst the leaders in Customs management in the region,” said Minister Pinder.
“The Government is committed to making The Bahamas an ever increasingly attractive place to do business. The modernisation of Customs, coupled with other trade reforms such as strengthened intellectual property rights and the establishment of Standards Bureau for example are the means to that end.”
Pinder thanked Carisma Marketing Services and said the Government has a commitment not only to its international trading partners to ensure that their rights are not infringed upon, but also, and more importantly, to the citizens and visitors of The Bahamas who might unwittingly be purchasing harmful goods.
Photo: Minister of Financial Services, the Hon. Ryan Pinder. (BIS Photo / Kristaan Ingraham)
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