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ASYCUDA Foul up

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Screenshot 2019-12-15 at 16.56.19Chairman of the Barbados Port Authority Lisa Cummins and Minister responsible Kirk Humphrey have had a lot to say about the haphazardly implemented upgrade to the ASYCUDA World system – the acronym translates to Automated Systems for Customs Data a computerized system designed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to administer a country’s customs.  Although they have assuaged  public concerns something still stinks in Denmark.

A consequence of the poor implementation by government- if we accept public comment- is that the release of inbound shipments have been delayed for weeks, some say months since ASYCUDA went live in September 2018. The blogmaster has not posted on this issue before because of  the lack of information about what is a technical issue.

We have had cursory commentary on BU about why would the government not run the old system in parallel. So far we have not been made aware of anyone or agency being held accountability for the foul up. What cannot be disputed is that the haphazard implementation of ASYCUDA has had a negative financial impact for the country.

It was brought to the attention of the blogmaster by a BU family member that by clicking on the ASYCUDA link- https://asycuda.customs.gov.bb/index.jsf and dare click on “Upload e-manifest” under the “ONLINE SERVICES” menu on the top-left side of the window. You’ll be greeted with a “404 — The requested page was not found.” message. To the blogmaster’s simple way of thinking, if the link is suppose to work it should not generate an error. The obvious question pops up – was change management done by our high paid officials?

ASYCUDA-Error_404.png

Hoping the BU intelligentsia weighs in on the matter.

 

 

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120 responses to “ASYCUDA Foul up”

  1. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Yes it becomes an exaggeration when lives are being lost when govt measures on efficiency cost lives at the expense of a few
    The conclusion that sea-goers making attempt to save drowning victims at the risk of losing theirs because no life guards are present is at least appalling and at worst scandalous
    How can this be happening during the peak of tourist season
    Yet Mia says she cares

  2. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    @Hal

    “Is this the result of incompetence or corruption?”

    Wily suspects it’s INCOMPETENCE as the system is in fairly wide use in other jurisdictions and was developed and provided FREE by a U.N. Agency.

  3. GP Avatar
    GP

    WHAT IS A FACIAL DISTRACTION? CLEFT LIP? CLEFT PALATE? STRAW BERRY HEMANGIOMAS? HYGROMAS?

  4. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Wily

    We are a nation in serious denial. INCOMPETENCE is our major problem, not corruption or political nepotism. This is but the attest of years of widespread Barbadianisation of jobs, in many cases, square pegs in round holes all with paper qualifications.

  5. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    RE: “Yes it becomes an exaggeration when lives are being lost when govt measures on efficiency cost lives at the expense of a few.”

    What the hell does this nonsense mean?

    Perhaps you should focus your attention on the topic.

  6. john2 Avatar
    john2

    mARIPOSE

    sHUT UP!

    GO BACK TO 2013 AND SEE WHO SENT HOME THE LIFEGUARDS !

  7. David Avatar
    David

    @Wily

    What we have here with the poor upgrade to the ASYCUDA system is mismanagement. You call it incompetence. Not every situation is the same. Therefore no need for wholesale labeling. They took a short cut and got burned.

  8. GP Avatar
    GP

    They took a short cut and got burned.=incompetence
    COMPETENCE IS DOING THINGS THE RIGHT WAY

  9. Redguard Avatar
    Redguard

    “When I see how Barbados functions it saddens me. We have an inferior and dysfunctional leadership who are incapable of doing right”

    @TLSN

    There is a terrible leadership vacuum. Whether by design, evolution or political interference the two types of worker who advance in our Civil Service are either the conformist or the politico. Independent thinkers and innovators are identified as troublemakers and difficult to work with, they are marginalised or forced out. Conformists and politicos cannot lead.

    The leadership vacuum is why we now have a know nothing minister (Humphrey) and a figurehead chairwoman (Cummins) giving lip service rather than showing leadership.
    For a blunder of this magnitude a leader would resign, instead they blame the customs brokers. Their fate will be decided by Ms. Mottley

  10. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    David BU

    This situation with the new ASYCUDA program isn’t anything new in the public sector.

    I’m sure you remember there were “teething problems” when NIS implemented its new IT system.

    How about the technical problems people experienced with the registration process and filing their income tax returns when the BRA introduced its new tax administration system, TAMIS, after several months of advertising its introduction? Also, people could not file income tax returns for partnerships. The BRA had to extend the deadline for filing as well as its closing time to 7 p.m. to accommodate last-minute applicants. And at that time Manager Communications and PR, Carolyn Williams-Gayle, said the Authority was working with the system developer to rectify the issue.

    Prior to TAMIS, we had a situation where government was paying an individual in excess of $10,000 per month for over a year, to work on a tax system for the then Inland Revenue Department.

    From my experience, the Ministers under whose portfolios these SOEs fall, contract the services of their friends who happen to be in the information technology business. The Boards approve the contract, which, more often than not, are “too big” for contracted person to handle.

    So, we could identify the incompetence…….. however, if the contracted parties “grease the Minister’s or the board Chairman’s hands,” which, as is said allegedly happens, then it’s corruption also.

  11. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Mottley is the Moe
    Moe as in more suffering for the people
    Moe as in breaking up the democracy at the people expense to appease a few
    Moe as in blowing smoke in the air to blind the populace
    Moe as in promising efficiency and delivering inefficiency
    Moe as in a truckload of empty promises

  12. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    In 2018 we were promised change
    Instead got nothing
    Nothing has changed now the measly mout blp foot soldiers have become silent with high expectations all should follow the leader in haste to their deaths
    Hell no not me

  13. David Avatar
    David

    @Artax

    You are on the ball, add the sweet deal given to a political friend to implement smart National ID cards. The blogmaster understands all of the smart cards and equipment have to be dumped. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayers dollars.

  14. David Avatar
    David

    @Artax

    There is a strong position to blame some public servants here. Then again the civil is infected.

  15. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    John2
    Why dont u tell Mottley that people lives matter
    Her business abroad would not add up to a hill of beans
    More smoke and mirrors that is all
    When word gets across social media that tourist lives are at risk because lack of life guards or one tourist death at drowning cause family members to go legally ballistic then all would pay attention

  16. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    Hi David:

    We are supposed to believe that the reason why my goods were delayed for an extremely long time, is because of the utter incompetence of DHL and FedEx in entering information in the computer system?

    Since DHL and FedEx are not objecting to this accusation on their competence, then either it is true, or they are intimidated into silence.

    What could intimidate these two well known companies, to accept the tarnishing of their business reputations with accusations of gross incompetence?

  17. David Avatar
    David

    @Grenville

    The international couriers guard their delivery SLAs with customers zealously.

  18. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    David BU

    Customs Brokers were provided with training on how to use the new ASYCUDA system.

    I know of a situation where the then Acting Director and the Board of a SOE thought computerisation of the entity’s operations meant purchasing $33,000 in obsolete IMB computers and associated peripherals, for which they had to pay an extra $15,000 for memory and setting up the LAN for interconnection within the office.

    These types of things continue to occur under both political administrations.

    You would never believe government has an under-utilized Data Processing Department, whose mandate is:

    “To be the Primary source of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions for Government, through the efficient and innovative use of Technology and the provision of an environment through which information technology is monitored and the ICT activities of agencies coordinated.”

  19. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Met Office issues caution to sea users

    https://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/243143/met-office-issues-caution-sea-users

  20. John2 Avatar
    John2

    Mari

    U were totally legally ballistic since May 2018
    Make sure it don’t kill you

  21. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    What conclusions can be drawn from this?

    “The Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) is a computerized system designed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to administer a country’s customs. In 2004 there were more than 50 operational projects with expenditures exceeding US$7 million. It is the largest technical cooperation programme of the UNCTAD, covering over 80 countries and 4 regional projects.”

  22. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Hell yes i will go legally ballistic if one of my family members die because of govt inefficiency
    Don’t tell me nothing about warnings in paper either
    That would not settle the problem

  23. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Somebody tell govt to put up flags and warning signs along barbados beaches.This is tourist season and not all are accustomed to our beaches
    But don’t mind me i am a jac.a.ss who would jump in the sea wid muh eyes close
    Then blame govt
    Go figure hard heads

  24. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ Wily E Coyote

    Of all the comments here yours, the comments on the efficacy of the Data Processing Department AND THAT ON THE EFFICACY OF THE MINISTER(s) have summarized the crux of that matter

    You said and I quote

    “…Wily suspects it’s INCOMPETENCE as the system is in fairly wide use in other jurisdictions and was developed and provided FREE by a U.N. Agency…”

    De ole man going go south to come north

    The One World system and “mark” of the beast has been long in the making and has had its problems long before Asycida World but wunna ent know bout Asycuda Plus Plus.

    A more technically competent team, RATHER THAN FUNCTIONARIES AT THE SO CALLED DATA PROCESSING DEPARTMENT, and commensurate incompetent ministers, would have been capable of giving some coding insight about the issue being experienced.

    For example a Chris Halsall would have, as part of his preemptive evaluation of the upgrade, have run the software for 6 months, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OLDER SOFTWARE, because he recognised that FULL IMPLEMENTATION, was not an option.

    So now our asses are at the point of what was not a legacy issue with the older software, incompetents and basic functionaries ARE OUT OF THEIR FVUCKING DEPTH!

    Now here be de ole man showing how competent proactive evaluation WOULD HAVE DETERMINED THE POSSIBLE ISSUES WITH ASYCUDA WORLD!!

    I know dat de Minister of Disinformation gine be vex and “flamed” with me but…

    “…JAVA Release (JAVA 8 update 161 – released January 16, 2018), is not compatible with ASYCUDA. If update is applied the application will experience login issues or the message “Network error, server not found” will be displayed.

    If you updated your system with the new release (JAVA 8 update 161) kindly uninstall and reinstall JAVA 8 update 151. You can retrieve the JAVA 8 update 151 files from the following link: https://www.itechtics.com/java-8-update-151-offline-installer/

    If you have not effected JAVA Release (JAVA 8 update 161), when prompted to do so please select LATER from the Java Update Pop-Up that appears…”

    When you send in little boys to do men’s work this will happen.

    Data Processing should have a Rass**le machine in their office with multiple instances of working conditions for the Acycuda ++ & World that recreate working conditions and preemptively display what will happen during any RH upgrade of NIS or customs upgrades

    But that is a product OF REAL VISION NOT WASTE FOOPERY!!!

  25. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ the Honourable Blogmaster your assistance please with an item here

    This topic WILL ATTRACT BRIMLERS who need to Shut the Fvuck Up and move onto their areas where they might be able to contribute.

  26. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Sargeant
    I am no government whisperer!! It seems y’all have a problem with me not jumping on your bandwagon; but there’s no need to tell lies on me either.

  27. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    David
    Who managed the implementation of ASYCUDA?

  28. John A Avatar
    John A

    The part we must also focus on is the lost of revenue to both the businesses and the state at this critical time.

    Government can not collect a cent in duty or vat on the 400 odd containers in the port until such time as the system provides the clearance documents, which the importer then takes to customs and pays the duty etc with.

    Secondly the importer can not sell the goods once the peak Christmas period is past, especially if they are seasonal items specific to Christmas. So items like toys, decorations, drapery and practically everything else thAt is in the port, represents a lost opportunity to the importer to sell the items.

    Some will say tough for the merchants, but you will be wrong if you think that’s where it ends. Government also will be a major revenue loser too and this is why. The 17.5% vat that is collected from the customer can only be collected if the said customer buys the item. Also that final VAT portion at the final consumer is the largest single tax that government will receive on that item. The reason simply is that is has the retail mark up in it prior to the final VAT being applied.

    Will we ever be told how many millions the state and business will lose on this nonesence? Probably not. Don’t worry though it will show up in next year’s estimates under “shortfall” , at which time guess who will have to top up the state’s cheque book? Yes us the taxpayers who else!

  29. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    You want it stated for the record the project started with the DLP? At the time of the change of government Alister was the acting PS but the BLP people must have had some last minute say.

  30. Chris Halsall Avatar
    Chris Halsall

    @Piece the Legend: “JAVA Release (JAVA 8 update 161 – released January 16, 2018), is not compatible with ASYCUDA

    Hmmm… I have no insider knowledge, but this wouldn’t explain the 404 error seen. A “404” means the server was not able to find the file which it needs to run to present the page to the user — this is a misconfiguration. What your quoted language suggests would instead happen if this was really the problem is a “500 — Internal Server Error” would be seen.

    Besides all of this, one wouldn’t (or, at least, shouldn’t) apply such an update to a “live” system without first extensively testing on a staging server, to ensure everything is sane.

    Software isn’t really all that hard. But, as someone said above, it’s just a tool, not a panacea.

  31. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    David
    I din even know it started with the DLP, so no I don’t want you to lay blame on the previous administration to politicise the matter. I always thought the person in charge was the former ASYCUDA Consultant with UNCTAD who was involved with setting it up across the world. Now I am hearing incompetent, Barbadianisation etc etc. The government whisperer, according to Sargeant, just asking.

  32. David Avatar
    David

    @Enuff

    UNCTAD owns the system but local people had to be empowered to influence the project plan, it affects us.

  33. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ Chris Halsall

    You said & I quote

    “…Besides all of this, one wouldn’t (or, at least, shouldn’t) apply such an update to a “live” system without first extensively testing on a staging server, to ensure everything is sane…”

    This is my point exactly.

    I first encountered Asycuda in 1991 in another incarnation.

    Even at that time virtualization of working environments ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED REAL WORLD IMPLEMENTATIONS.

    I used the wrong verb, I should have said preceded implementations

    Any idiot knows this BUT WE GOT A VAUNTED DATA PROCESSING DEPARTMENT with a big up mission statement so our ass*s are cool!

    And this is why our chvunts are where we are

    Take a look at this big RH newspaper article and tell me, if your next door neighbour tell you the property opposite your house got open well, why your ass out there at 11 oclock in the night looking to pick donks !!!

    http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20180222/asycuda-upgrade-problem-plagued-customs-clearance-system-govts-plans

    Halsall, I RH sorry BUT THE TWO RH MINISTERS AND THE UNIT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FVUCKUP SHOULD BE FIRED!!

    This is national espionage Halsall!!

    This is like the Stuxnet Virus equivalent on the Economy of Barbados and like John A carefully details, this completely has extended across government, to VAT collections, merchant sales, customer markets, seasonal purchases

    EVERY FVUCK!

    This HAS TO BE A DLP ORCHESTRATED TACTICAL MOVE cause anything else means we bajans Stoopid as Fvuck!!!

  34. David Avatar
    David

    @Redguard

    Cut the Minister some slack, he is a LSE and Harvard graduate.

  35. GP Avatar
    GP

    RE Cut the Minister some slack, he is a LSE and Harvard graduate. SO WUH?

    QUESTION

    IS HE EFFICIENT?

    DE GOT EFFICIENT MEN DAT AINT WUKING!

  36. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    Again de ole man will take this topic into the political spectrum BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR SO CALLED OPPOSITION DO THEIR RH JOB!

    And let me show what dem is not doing there job of Shadow Ministries.

    “…On March 27th, 2019 the Bangladesh Finance Minister announced a successful hacking attempt on ASYCUDA World.

    Based on the news report, it appears that due to weak security protocols, external hackers were able to penetrate ASYCUDA World and override decisions made by Customs in the system to allow for the release and clearance of over 30 inter-modal containers into the country…”

    This begs the RH question what is the PdP government in waiting doing since, AFTER THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED IN MARCH, 9months ago, where de badword is the Technical team of the PdP?

    And why has the Leader of the Opposition not weighed in on this WITH HIS SHADOW MINISTER speaking out load about this issue?

    Wunna unnerstand what de ole man is saying here?

    If I, a man who lef school at 11 can come here and discuss these topics in this way, WHY IS THE PDP SILENT?

    Unless it is that Mugabe is deciding what Reverend Joseph Atherley IS TO SAY RIGHT?

  37. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    De ole man is focused

    My point here IS COMPETENCIES AND SHOWING SUCH COMPETENCIES through displaying preparedness ALL THE TIME.

    ALL LIKE NOW, BAJANS SHOULD KNOW WHO THE RH PDP SHADOW MINISTER IS FOR ICT ISSUES, and he or she should be out there talking bout what needs to be done.

    The PdP HAS TO SHOW ITS FACE and display its ability to solve these problems.

    Where are the PdP podcasts?

    Where are its IN YOUR FACE GDPR POLICIES?

    Where is its Innovation matrices?

    Wunna feeling me yet?

    (I wonder how Dearest SSS is doing?)

  38. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Well wunna figure how to get the barrels out the port yet
    This issue has only took a foothold on BU because Mcgufgie business is being f..ked
    Other than that no one would give two wukups
    Listen to the silence that is deafening when the mother and son drowns at a beach when the authorities in charge of placing warning signs of dangers along with life guards at the beach were incompetent in doing their job
    In any case the issue has taken to social media where millions would read the story

  39. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    David
    Isn’t the person now the Comptroller of Customs? The government whisperer, according to Sargeant, just asking.

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    What some of us need to understand is why the project team did not run in parallel. And how will accountability be enforced to send a message. We are tired of the PR fluff statements from sweet talking government officials.

  41. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ the Honourable Blogmaster

    I respectfully suggest that you (and your cadre) ARE NOT TIRED ENOUGH!

    let me explain what de ole man is “seeing” here.

    This ASYCUDA WORLD Fiasco is a situation where the inefficiencies of the system are entrenched and have metamorphosed into a malignant cancer THAT THE MUGABE REGIME CANNOT EASILY REMOVE!

    The Port REPRESENTS A WORLD TO ITSELF where mere mortals CANNOT SEE IN its mysteries euphemism for the graft by which civil servants become millionaires overnight!

    This is even under the watchful eyes of the Auditor General and deals with a penumbra where the normal human dare not look!

    So Asycuda World is just the tip of a nefarious system where there is never an inventory taking to reconcile what is claimed to have entered the country WITH WHAT IS ACTUALLY IN THE PORT!

    And all these people who constitute the working parts of ASYCUDA WORLD live in a part of the ecosystem THST THE REGIME WANTS TO POPULATE!

    So, in an effort to FVUCK up the records even more SO THAT THE INVENTORY TAKING can be claimed to be faulty, this crisis was manufactured by players in the system WHO HAVE GROWN FAT OVER THE YEARS!

    De ole man does move to a completely different drum whose source IS NOT MAN MADE!

    This is “purposed system failure” to hide inventory LIKE 7 TRANSPORT BOARD BUSES BEING MISSING!

    Dont get misled peeple and sheeple!

  42. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    “Halsall, I RH sorry BUT THE TWO RH MINISTERS AND THE UNIT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FVUCKUP SHOULD BE FIRED!!”

    A bunch of corrupt, incompetent idiots, just sucking, sucking on taxpayers compliments of Mia..the very first thing we said, run a parallel backup of the current system, it is IT, shit goes sideways on the regular, any dummy knows you do not just jump in, especially when you DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING…….101 for DUMMIES.

  43. David Avatar
    David

    The man managing the project as enuff alluded worked with ASYCUDA in other implementations, this is why the blogmaster is onside that this was mismanagement. Many of the players are qualified, have the experience and skill sets. The ASYCUDA having not been upgraded for many years someone took a bad decision to ignore basic implementation protocol.

  44. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    A piece of foolish question fuh wunna financial geniuses.

    What is the salary of the man OR TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS who effed up this port system?

    What is the total value attributed to each day that the Barbados Port has been imperative?

    Will anyone be held accountable for this cost and loss?

    Will the man be named?

    What a RH stoopid question to ask and think it would even get an answer in this Banana Republic of Barbados!!!

  45. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    Inoperative not imperative

  46. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ the Honourable Blogmaster your assistance please with an item here thank you

  47. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Jamaica has problems with implementing the AYSCUDA system. In fact a number of other countries had issues with the upgrade/implementation.

    “a bad decision to ignore basic implementation protocol” is a fancy phrase for incompetence.

    Given his familiarity with other implementations he should have been aware of the problems that other encounter and design a smoother introduction.

    Or is it the case of the child saying his Father works at the hospital and we assume his father is a doctor. There are many other roles at a hospital./

    Let’s bell the cat and stop the word play.

  48. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    A hearty morning to all of Barbados.
    Visionary/Leader 🙂 Hope all is well in your are of the world

    In situations like this”heads should roll”. Stop giving people three and four bites of the apple.

    Here a slogan for Barbadians to adopt.
    Two bites and it ain’t right get outta my sight.
    or
    Implement AYSCUDA not screw muh

    Here is a question I asked:
    The cost of implementation was estimated at $700,000 BDS. By my reckoning this system has been implement about four times now.. What is the final cost.?

    Others are interested in the cost of losses at the Port,

  49. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    System implementation planning.

    So if it doan work wuh we gine do ?

  50. David Avatar
    David

    Some of us know what we are talking about.

    https://wikidiff.com/incompetent/mismanagement

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