By Sue-Ann Wayow

THE Customs Clerks and Customs Brokers Association of Trinidad and Tobago (CCCBA) is calling for the immediate repair of the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) as well as long-term sustainability.

CCCBA in a media release on Wednesday stated that a formal notice was issued by the Comptroller of Customs and Excise advising that ASYCUDA had been compromised due to water damage at the Customs House located at the Government Campus Plaza, Port of Spain.

The public notice was issued on Monday and it was expected the system would have been operational by Tuesday at 8 am.

This system is essential for the processing of all import and export documentation, payments to customs cashiers, and online facilitation by other government regulatory agencies. It is also the platform used by customs officers across ports and bonded warehouses to process cargo clearances and deliveries.

The CCCBA emphasises that the technical failure has significantly disrupted the operations of its members.

CCCBA claims that since Monday, there was no access to ASYCUDA.

“The situation has severely hindered our ability to perform even basic functions. Though some manual clearances are being facilitated by certain officers, these are not sufficient to manage the volume and complexity of national trade activity,” CCCBA stated.

Apart from the water leak, CCCBA also said there were serious operational challenges with ASYCUDA before.

CCBA stated, “For more than a month prior to the water leak, the system had been unstable and unreliable. The latest development has exposed what appears to be a lack—or total absence—of a functional backup system to ensure business continuity in times of disruption.”

The CCCBA is committing to maintaining an open line of communication with the Customs and Excise Division.

The CCCBA has formally requested a meeting with the Comptroller of Customs and Excise to discuss the ongoing ASYCUDA crisis and other urgent matters affecting the sector.

To date, CCCBA says they still awaiting a response.

CCCBA stated, “We now publicly call upon the relevant authorities and decision-makers to meet with the stakeholders of the industry as a matter of national urgency. A long-term, sustainable plan must be implemented to ensure the reliability of the ASYCUDA system and to protect the integrity of Trinidad and Tobago’s trade and revenue framework.

“The current state of affairs is not just unproductive—it is economically damaging. Delays in cargo clearance, payment processing, and trade facilitation are costing the country both time and money.”

•     Provide an urgent update on the full restoration of ASYCUDA and TTBizLink systems.

•     Implement temporary manual procedures or alternative channels to process declarations and avoid trade bottlenecks.

•     Urge the ports and transit sheds to assist in granting waivers or extend free clearance days for port storage incurred as a result of these system failures.

•     Urge Shipping Lines to extend demurrage free days in light of the current predicament.

•     Invest in robust digital infrastructure and failover systems to ensure business continuity and trade resilience in the future.