The Commissioner of the Papua New Guinea Customs Service (PNGCS), Mr. Ray Paul, hosted a WCO Columbus Programme Phase 3 progress evaluation from 19 to 29 August 2014. This Phase 3 evaluation was the 8th of its kind worldwide and was carried out by an expert from the WCO Secretariat with an accredited facilitator from New Zealand Customs. The mission was supported by the Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF) of Japan.
Following the Phase 3 methodology, before the mission the PNGCS had carried out a self-assessment exercise. This documentation was assessed and aided preparations of the schedule and agenda of the evaluation.
The WCO Phase 3 progress evaluation looked again at holistic organizational issues using as references the WCO Diagnostic Framework and building blocks identified in the "Customs in the 21st Century" policy document. The WCO experts found several examples of progress since the WCO Phase 1 diagnostic was carried out in August 2007 (and continuous WCO-PNGCS cooperation since).
Examples of achievements since the 2007 WCO diagnostic included advanced strategic planning and documentation, upgrade of IT systems with introduction of regular trade information reporting, increased community protection enforcement activity and infrastructure and process improvements at many Customs facilities.
As part of the in-country assessment, the WCO experts met with a number of stakeholders involved in Customs border management – both from within Customs as well as from the Private Sector and other external stakeholders.
The PNGCS expects to de-merge from the domestic tax organization and become a statutory authority by the end of 2014. The Phase 3 progress evaluation was timely in that the WCO report and recommendations took this new proposed structure into account. The subsequent analysis should ensure PNGCS continuing reform and modernization decisions are prioritized and implemented successfully.