Safwan border port .. irregularities opens the door of corruption, extortion and poor services

02/28/2017 (00:01 pm)

term / peace Khazaal

Experiencing the Iraqi border ports lot of illegalities, which make it far from the desired performance , which is supposed to show it, especially in light of the financial crisis plaguing the country, the financial resources realized which is still below the level of ambition and does not pose little value in the Iraqi state budget accounts, what made the oil revenues monopolized 97% of the volume of budget revenues, and adopting entirely on imports to bridge the market needs of different goods.

Basra province alone seven outlets border, is located in the western part of the port Safwan , which connects the country in Kuwait, according to an official confirming that the financial revenue rate slightly exceeding one billion dinars per month, a very small amount , according to economists. In explanation for this decline in revenue , a local official refers to the existence of irregularities, including non - application of the customs tariff controls the exact form by people in the port, open the door of corruption and extortion wide.

District director of Safwan and Mayor Zubair spend Agency, called Mohammed Alhsonh, he said in an interview (term) that trade across the entire border crossings in the province is progressing normally, indicating that the port Safwan "seen a good business move, did not trade exchange between Iraq and Kuwait process affected the statements and speeches on the issue of navigation in the Khawr Abd Allah. "

He Alhsonh that imports this port reached in some months to more than a billion dinars a month, but he also said , "But where there are some problems , including those related to shortness yards storage, as there is a need to establish service projects," adding that the current financial crisis has prevented the implementation of the pilot project Safwan port that could accommodate his trade , who could become bigger than the size of the present time.

Alhsonh He stressed that the controls and customs exempt certain goods that are applied at border crossing points, where the bodies of security breaches several spotted, pointing out that "some of which is related to changing the type of goods or size , " and pointed out that they, for example , recently seized a load of tires supplied via the port has owner to change the engine in which power has been transferred this violation to the judicial authorities.

On the other hand, he says Alhsonh, the competent authorities seized a week , a lot of irregularities in the paperwork of some goods and goods received, saying , "We strive to reduce these irregularities, as always aspire to increase port revenues in Basra province , which includes land , including ports , border group outlet Safwan and Shalamcheh, as well as marine ports as outlets of Umm Qasr and Khor Al - Zubair and stronghold of the Abu Flus, as well as Basra airport , which is the aerial port of the province.

local authorities in Basra says, through the chairman of the oversight committee and the financial allocations in the Provincial Council Ahmed al - Sulaiti, that has no authority to border crossing points, and considers that the regulatory performance on these ports is weaker now, because of non - compliance with ports for orders, which helps to manipulation and corruption witnessed ports.

He adds Sulaiti in an interview (term) that controls the customs tariff does not accurately applied at border crossing points . "We see the presence of the rig gets in the volume of goods and type in order to reduce fees and determine the tariff by agreement with the parties and the people inside the border crossing points, "and says that Iraq is a country lacks the domestic industry, which requires imported goods according to market demand, so the tax hike tariff customs does not stop the trade , but "weighing on the shoulders of the citizen, because rising prices caused by increased costs borne by all citizens , which reduces the demand for goods size."

Economist lion Muhammad Ali commented in an interview (range) , saying that " the Iraqi border crossing points far from the perfect performance and this is what constitutes a conduit for goods and goods may not be suitable for local markets, was seized some of them in the market , which is not fit for consumption."

He goes on saying that " the weakness of the regulatory measures Calfhs and smooth entry of vehicles and persons represent a major problem for importers and sections of extortion, which makes port Safwan revenues and the other does not pose little value in budget revenues accounts , " it explains that the amounts realized are still much lower than expected revenues country imports almost everything.

The Economist said it "requires more oversight from various quarters, and even make alterations in these actors periodically in order not to create a relationship between the regulator and officials Alcomerk," he adds , "we need at the same time modern infrastructure for those ports hotel such as services and warehouses create modern refrigerated stations break appropriate , "adding that in the event of this , it will help in the operation of labor in these ports , which will reflect positively on the increase in customs revenue and reduce delays and complaints of extortion at the border.

The port Safwan sole border crossing land between Iraq and Kuwait, as evidenced by a day hundreds of trucks loaded with the passage of various types of imported goods pass through also numbers of travelers, especially in the seasons and religious events , where he faces a strong impetus by the visitors, mostly from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain.

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