Customs revamp

[NewsWhore]

The Customs Department (DGA) is installing 700 computers, 250 scanners, 50 printers and 350 VOIP phones at the DR's different ports of entry this week. Customs director Miguel Cocco said the new equipment was bought with a loan from the Exim-Bank of South Korea. The US$23 million loan is for 25 years with a seven-year grace period and an annual interest rate of 1.72%. Cocco said that this equipment puts the DGA among the most modern customs departments in the world. The equipment is part of a modernization process known as DOM-1 that is due to be completed by 2009 and which will include new equipment at the Haina Oriental port, Multimodal Caucedo port and Las Americas International Airport. South Korea is helping the process through a series of cooperation agreements. The modernization program seeks to strengthen Customs and reduce the amount of customs-related crimes. With this in mind a Command Center and other security measures are being introduced. Listin Diario reports that South Korean technicians have been in the DR for six months preparing to install the systems. AutoEver SystemCorp-Interdev Corp is in charge of the installation, as part of a US$19.8 million agreement.

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