SI Customs successfully conducted Pre-Departure Briefings with the first groups of LMU workers/recruits for 2025.

THE Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Division (SICED) continues to reach out and successfully held its first Pre-Departure Briefing sessions for the first groups of Labour Mobility workers (locally known as “seasonal workers”) for this year 2025.

Staff from the Customs Communication and Outreach Team of the Customs Reform and Support Unit collaborates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) and successfully delivered the sessions with the recruits at their Pre-departure Briefing sessions.

The Pre-departure Briefing sessions were conducted on Wednesday 22^nd and Wednesday 29^th of January (last month) respectively at the SINIS Conference Room, East Honiara. The third briefing was conducted on Thursday last week.

The awareness sessions aimed to inform and foster an understanding of the Roles and Functions of Customs regarding revenue collection, Border Protection, and Travel Restrictions at all points of entry for these travellers. This includes Goods and Passenger Declaration Checks at Pre-departure and pre-arrival, Duty Assessment and Valuation (CIF); Receipts for Duty Assessment and its calculation, Personal effects, Customs Requirements for Passovers, Declaration, and how to complete the mandated Customs Declaration Form.

Speaking at his closing remarks, Mr. Gracehome Mysic Filoa, 35, an ongoing LMU recruit, praised and thanked SICED for reaching out to them and educating them on such information that is important for them when they travel abroad.

“Sometimes, when sending goods back home, we might not know what some of the requirements, processes, and procedures are to follow when sending goods home and when traveling abroad,” Mr Filoa explained.

“But now, I learn about the requirements, processes, and procedures to follow when sending goods and travelling. I also learn that the current Customs Concession is SBD 3,000. 00 for us travellers.

“I urge you (Customs) and Labour Mobility Unit (LMU) to continue and maintain this kind of approaches in helping our people well informed before traveling,” Filoa concluded.

Another female participant Jasmine Ofosi Joshua in an interview said that this kind of awareness session is important and will help her a lot when travelling outside and inside of the country.

“Now I have the basic knowledge on how to send goods, what to send, and the type of goods you should send In and inside of the country.

“Therefore, this awareness session is really important and will help me a lot, when travelling outside and inside of the country” Ms. Jasmine expressed.

Under the Customs & Excise Act (cap 121) section 233 it stated that it is a legal requirement that all goods subject to the Customs laws may be subject to examination. It also stated that it is the roles and functions of Customs and Excise duties to impose import or export duties of customs upon any goods whatsoever that may be imported into or exported from the Solomon Islands and to revoke, suspend, reduce, increase, or alter any such duties, and to provide for the importation or exportation of any goods without payment of customs duty.

Established by the Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Act 2003 (CAP121), under the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT), the Customs and Excise Division plays a crucial role in collecting the correct Revenue for the Government, Trade Facilitation, and Protecting our Borders by Protecting our communities from prohibited goods and illegal movements, while ensuring compliance with Customs regulations.

The Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Division (SICED) performs and enforces its mandatory functions by the Customs Act cap 121 (2003) and the Customs Valuation Act 2009.

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• Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Division (SICED) Press
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  Senior Customs Officer Brian Pitihage of the Customs and Excise Division Support and Reform Unit speaking to the LMU recruits at one of the LMU Pre-departure Briefing session.

   

  

  Mr. Gracehome Mysic Filoa, 35, thanked the Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Division, speaking at his closing remarks.

   

  

  Part of the LMU Recruits under the PALM Scheme who they were participated in one of the sessions.

   

  

  A participant asked a question during the “Question time” session.

  

  Labour Mobility Unit (LMU) Deputy Director Mr. Patrick Kaka of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAET) addressing the LMU workers during one of the sessions.