Additional changes will be implemented at the Antigua Port Authority to discourage what the government said if fraudulent activities that would deprive the Customs and Excise Division of much-needed revenue.
As of next month, the Gaston Browne administration will be implementing new forms that will be equipped with a QR Code to be used by brokers to clear goods particularly goods where taxes are been waived.
Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Lionel Hurst said the papers produced for these forms are from copy machines bearing signatures that can be easily duplicated.
He said the department will be making the change to prevent fraud.
“That is part of the reason for the $20 charge we are going to use special paper and a special machine to generate these forms so others cannot generate them. And to further increase the security of the forms, they will have these QR codes and only the most original signatures will be accepted,” Hurst said.
He stressed the objective is to bring greater security to the process. The new forms are expected to come on stream in April.
Any application from a human-created electronic device can be duplicated. It is so dunce Gaston and his administration are. The only way that can be avoided is if the form is upgraded regularly. Since the government loves to use forms created many moons ago, it would be possible for these forms to be duplicated.