Customs finally offers card payment service

(CNS): Officials from the Cayman Islands Customs Department said the recent introduction of card payment services was part of its goal to streamline its operations and enhance its customer service. The department said that following the success of its introduction at the airport customers can now use all majorcredit or debit cards – with the exception of American Express – at all of its outlets for their imported goods. The move is a long time in coming and in the past customers were forced to pay cash or cheque. This also resulted in the department having to chase bad payments. With Card payments administrative officials said they hoped it would reduce the frequency of returned cheques.

“We aim to enhance customer service by streamlining the process while at the same time removing inefficiencies,” the Collector of Customs, Carlon Powery said. “I am delighted that we have made this improvement at all our collection units.”

Cards will now be accepted at the ocean freight collections unit on Portland Drive, located behind the Port Authority’s billing offices, which is primarily for processing imports via ocean and the Customs Headquarters, located next to Cayman Airways Cargo on Owen Roberts Drive, which caters primarily to clearing goods arriving by air. The dual locations allow importers to complete their customs clearance and pay import duties where their goods are to be collected.

Customs Finance Manager Mitzi Watson-Jervis explained that the services received at both facilities are non-exclusive so imports via air or ocean can be processed and paid for at both facilities.

Watson-Jervis said she was encouraged by the positive feedback the department has received since the introduction of the acceptance of card payments at the airport terminal and noted that it was inevitable that the option be expanded throughout the department.