THE Jamaica Bureau of Standards (JBS) has again warned of its intention to crack down on importers who owe more than $7 million in compliance fees.
"We are going to combine litigation with a concerted effort of pestering by the doorsteps," executive director Dr. Omer Thomas said.
In February, the former executive director of the bureau, Dr. Artnel Henry, revealed that local importers owed more than $16 million in compliance fees for the financial year ended March 31, 1998.
Previously, the JBS allowed companies which had completed standards compliance to clear imports from storage at ports of entry, in the expectation they would honour their payments at a later date.
Some companies have not complied, Dr. Henry said. Since then, the JBS has involved the Customs Department in the collection of the fees at ports of entry in an attempt to eliminate the problem.
According to Dr. Thomas, the JBS has managed to reduce the debt significantly from $18 million to $7 million. "... And I intend to get every last penny," he said.
Notices have already been sent to the offending parties, stating the JBS would undertake a reduction in the services the agency offered to those persons who owe.
"We will provide no service at all to anybody who is in a debt position with us until they enter into suitable arrangement to settle the debt after paying 50 per cent of what they owe," Dr. Thomas said. "So it suits them to deal with us. It's a tough measure but it is an economic measure," he continued, adding he has had good responses from importers.
"It is helping our cash flow (and) is causing us not to request anything from Government in supplemental estimates," he said.
