Page 36 - IB Sept-Oct 2020

Happy 50 Independence Day, Viti!
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By Richard Brennan, OCO Head of Secretariat

Fiji’s celebration of its 50th year of independence is not only
a celebration for the country but for the region as well.
It has also been 50 years since the father of modern Fiji and
Pacific statesman, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara coined the words
“Pacific Way” at the United Nations in 1970, to symbolise a way
of doing things specific to the Pacific where people of different
races, opinions and cultures can live and work together for the
good of all, can differ without rancour, govern without malice Port of Suva: Customs officers facilitate trade to earn revenue for their
and accept responsibility as reasonable people intent on serving governments. With COVID-19, customs administrations play a critical
role in protecting nations from the virus while manning ports of entries.
the interests of all. Picture: SUPPLIED
As individuals, Pacific island nations are too small to be
heard in the global space but as a region or in the “Pacific Way”,
our voices are more amplified. financial flows, trafficking of people, drugs and weapons and
Oceania Customs Organisation (OCO), headquartered in money laundering to name a few.
Fiji, is an example of the “Pacific Way”. With a membership of But the greatest challenge, which has had far-reaching ef-
23 countries in the Pacific region, OCO’s mission is to facilitate fects across the world is COVID-19.
and help customs administrations align with international stan- The work of a customs officer today is not as similar as five
dards and best practice, which would lead to greater economic or 10 years ago. A customs officer today must ensure he or she
prosperity and increased border security. is safe from contracting the virus and that it also doesn’t enter
OCO was born out of the Customs Heads of Administration a country.
Regional Meeting (CHARM) held annually in the 1980s, which According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the
was a forum to promote harmonised and simplified customs COVID-19 virus can live on external surfaces for up to three
procedures, introduce new methods, exchange information and days. Customs administrations must ensure their officers are
generally improve communication between member adminis- well protected and the region is protected as well through quar-
trations. antining and sanitizing of cargoes.
Over the years, it became clearer that the needs of the 23 The safety of customs officers and other border agencies, as
customs administrations had grown and there was a need to well as those in the private sector involved in the movement and
have a secretariat. OCO was established at the final CHARM clearance of goods is critical now.
gathering in August 1998 in Tonga, which was the first OCO Without a doubt, COVID-19 has affected the way we do
Annual Conference of Customs Heads. things and we are embracing the new normal as best as we can.
The OCO secretariat was initially hosted by Australian Cus- There may be a lot of doom and gloom all around us but
toms in Brisbane before it was moved to Noumea, New Caledo- there is one thing we can all agree on- Pacific islands and their
nia in 2002 and eventually Fiji. people are resilient.
As not all Pacific Island nations are members of the World That resilience and the spirit of working together as Pacific
Customs Organisation or the World Trade Organisation, OCO islanders will carry us through these tough times.
has been bridging the gap in these nations through knowledge OCO and its members are doing that and we are en-
sharing, training and assisting customs administrations to im- suring that in the true spirit of the Pacific Way- we
plement standards of the same level as the two global organisa- are transparent and accountable for our actions.
tions. More importantly, we are serving the inter-
But while customs administrations in the region have ests of all.
evolved and progressed, there are also challenges that we must We thank Fiji for its contribu-
address urgently. tions to the region and the es-
Without a doubt the role of customs is important in an econ- tablishment of the OCO
omy- to facilitate trade and generate revenue as well as to ensure Secretariat.
border security.
We are seeing emerging threats within the customs environ-
ment such as the trade of counterfeit goods, illicit

36 Islands Business, September/October 2020