The Customs & Excise Department has announced the early closure of its services at several locations on Thursday, July 13, 2023, from 1:00 pm to facilitate a staff meeting.
The meeting follows Tuesday’s incident in which a customs officer was shot in Monchy, Gros Islet.
The officer was recuperating in the hospital.
According to a Customs Department notice, the early closure of its services would affect La Place Carenage Units, Shed 6, the General Post Office, the Ferry Terminal, West Indies Shipping and Marigot.
Rodney Bay Marina, West Tech Shipping, UPS, Shop Box, Soufriere and Vieux Fort would also be impacted.
The Customs Department has apologised for any inconvenience.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Acting Police Commissioner Ronald Philip met with Customs & Excise employees to assure them of the government’s commitment to their safety.
Pierre condemned the shooting of the customs officer as did the Customs Department which called it unprovoked and cowardly.
In addition, the Department declared that any threat, harm, or attempt to harm any one of its officers in the line of duty would not be tolerated.
At the same time, the Saint Lucia Civil Service Association (CSA) denied that the Customs Officers were on strike on Wednesday.
Headline stock image courtesy Customs & Excise Department
So hear that only when one is affected then you all having meeting, masquerade you all army into meetings and present zero to the citizens as a whole. Question to be asked. Do we have mad people so much so that they are finding guns under a mango tree and just shoot at someone imagining it’s a random mango they are shooting down? Our society has become so rotten that life just don’t matter due to poverish driven leader this country is producing? Do we have more mad people outside than inside? Or could it be in this situation customs officials are so heavily connected to a ring that when they screw up their life hangs in a limbo?
yall will say that this is not a strike but tell me why and what makes it necessary for ALL and every single customs officer to close up shop and go to a meeting? cant the ones with hire ranks or those in charge go instead and then to come and say you apologize for the inconvenience. people just doing what they want and using we apologize for the inconvenience which they are not sorry for
it good…let them do what they have to……its time everyday that i saying we must stand up to this nonsense in the country…u and i will be affected but until we dont stand up and take action then the PM and the higher heads will not do what necessary…..all we are missing is to take our voices in solidarity to the streets and close up shop……gossiping and backbiting as is the norm of the day will not help us
What needs to be done is allow custom officers to carry firearms like lots of countries around the world the British way of doing business doesn’t work for every country in canada custom officers carry no firearms but cross into the united states every single one of them do and that is for their safety
It’s time that the customs department have a central point for the clearing of motor cycles. And the customs officers responsible for attending to the perceived bike owners, should always wear a complete mask and must be behind a barrier where he/she is not visible to the visiting public. Then again, the corrupt customs officers will always inform on their colleagues.
@ let us take a stand against these criminals.
I agree with you but its like as if is only when it hits home and only when a certain group has a voice they want to rally together and do and say certain things look they just stab a guy that was selling things, only his mother you hear that come out and say something condemning it. and what i dont understand is was the guy shot in his car? cause the place I see the car I don’t get why the pm would say oh he was performing his customs duties to protect the borders and what not. I believe this is a scenario where its because its one of their own they doing all of this i dont think it has anything to do with work related.
Ma Malay.You ask a very important question.Why the early closure?This makes no sense to me.Why not heard of each department attend that meeting.Oh well just asking as Ma Malay did.But I am not holding my breath for an answer as we know as always .NO Answer ðŸ˜.
If the kan was indeed a law abiding, model employee, then the culture of his workplace must be blamed for his brush with death. Maybe someone was used to getting is illegal stuff in barrels cleared with no questions asked. But is sidekick is out on vacation or retired, and Mr. Man is not used to being told no at Customs. So he dealt with whoever is preventing him from getting his goods. Simple.
But so many government department closes to facilitate staff functions and people never make these kinds of comments. But Customs decides to have a staff meeting and that’s the type of comments people make? No wonder polictians can fool Saint Lucians so easily. Like we have no brains! Come on Saint Lucia let’s pray for wisdom…
@get to the bottom of this! it’s been alleged that guns and illegals items come through customs, I have heard this many many years ago and it funny how it seems that this is coming to light in 2023 where many guns are now on the streets of St Lucia with no explanation. I wonder if there is any truth to this claim. @ Imberto according to the Article it does state that this happened in Monchy, Gros Islet I am unaware there is a work location there,(referring to customs) unless this has changed, why would you want a custom officer off duty to carry a licensed work fire arm! I mean we don’t know the nature of what exactly transpired so it would be unfair to make a final decision as to what should be the final answer to this situation. We are living in some strange times and I see many comments about people constantly blaming the prime minister for the actions of individuals. When are we as a society going to take responsibility for our behaviours and stop claiming its because of what someone else did. Does a rose stop being a rose because you stepped on it or you decided to piss on it? We need to start changing the way we think people and come up with solutions for our current state or else with will really suffer.
I THOUGHT IT WAS CALLED CUSTOMS AND EXERCISE……NOW IT IS CUSTOMS AND EXCISE. LOL