The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) will make its fifth stop in the parish of Westmoreland for the continuation of its public education series, “Customs Meets the Community”, being held under the theme: ‘Reaching Our Customers Where They Are.’

The event will be held tomorrow from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm at the Manning’s School Auditorium, Savanna-La-Mar, and will bring together stakeholders from every ‘nook and cranny’ of the parish, including school administrators, church leaders, political representatives, entrepreneurs, returning residents, charity groups, members of civil society, and ‘the ordinary man and woman on the street.’

Importantly, as part of its communication strategy for this engagement, and with the assistance of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities, the agency has sought to engage the “special needs” community, and has introduced the use of sign language interpreters for people who are deaf or hearing impaired to assist in this regard.

Since the start of the series in May 2017, the agency has taken a holistic approach in educating its stakeholders, by collaborating with its border and regulatory agencies. So far the JCA has partnered with the Plant Quarantine Unit, the Pesticides Control Authority, the Department of Cooperatives and Friendly Societies, the Agriculture Incentives Unit and, for Westmoreland, the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office.

These sessions are being done in order for the Agency to better connect with customers and to create more awareness about Customs policies and procedures, among other Customs -related matters.

To date the agency has held engagements in the parishes of St Elizabeth, St Catherine, Portland and St Ann, in tandem with the Social Development Commission, which assists in mobilising the various target groups within the parishes.