VATIS UPDATE Article

Recently, Mr. Paula Ma’u, the CEO for Ministry of Climate Change (MEIDECC) opened a 2-day training workshop on combating the illegal trade of the Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) in Tonga. The illegal trade of “environmentally-sensitive” commodities such as ozone depleting chemicals is an international problem that threatens our environment which results in revenue loss for governments and increase in number of criminal organizations. The criminals who engage in smuggling of controlled ozone depleting chemicals operate in every region, trying to circumvent a country’s border controls.

This illicit trafficking undermines the substantial hard work, financial resources and time invested by government, companies and individuals to implement the Montreal Protocol. Thus the main objective of this training workshop was to provide the customs officers, brokers and law enforcement officials in Vava’u with the knowledge and skills to effectively monitor and control the imports ODSs and products to Vava’u and Tonga. Representatives from the the Vava’u Customs Officers, Brokers, Law Enforcement Officials and Businesses attended this workshop.