TTBizLink to add more e-services

Conducting transactions online, particularly those related to back office aspects on one’s business, is an excellent way to save time and money.

This is where the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Single Electronic Window for Trade and Investment (SEW); trade name TTBizLink, comes into play. Since its launch with two e-services in January 2012, TTBizLink has expanded to offer 46 e-services to companies and individuals doing business in Trinidad and Tobago (TT). Over the next five years, TTBizLink will add 16 more e-services, including the muchrequested ability to file annual returns to the Companies Registry online rather than using the current manual process.

The additional services are being made possible thanks to a US $25 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), signed by Planning and Development Minister, Camille Robinson-Regis, on behalf of the TT Government on April 6, 2016.

The loan signing took place at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the IDB and the 31st Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Investment Corporation, in Nassau, The Bahamas.

According to the IDB, “The SEW loan offers TT a real-time opportunity to upgrade its customs systems; implement an electronic payment system for users and taxpayers; and improve the overall trade performance and business facilitation environment in the country.” “It also seeks to optimise and simplify foreign trade; reduce time and costs; improve domestic transactions among national government institutions and external interactions with trading partners; and update and regulate the institutional framework of the SEW. The loan will also support business processing reengineering and risk management for government agencies; an intermodal logistics platform; and interoperability with other single windows,” the IDB stated on April 6.

That same day, Trade and Industry Minister, Paula Gopee- Scoon, launched an expansion of TTBizLink’s e-permits and licences module along with the introduction of the e-maritime services module and the e-utilities module.

The launch, held at Hilton Trinidad, Port-of-Spain, was a collaboration amongst several Ministries and Agencies including the Health Ministry, the Public Utilities Ministry and the Works and Transport Ministry.

To find out more about the new and ‘in the pipeline’ e-services, Business Day spoke with SEW’s Manager of Stakeholder Adoption, Allison Bidaisee, and three SEW Specialists, Neshan Singh, Charelle Joseph-Samaroo and Shermatie Jagdeo. Bidaisee noted that once a company or individual has registered with www.ttbizlink.gov.tt they can “cut out” the middle man/broker/lawyer who they once paid to “run around from office to office, dropping off forms and making payments et cetera.” Registering with TTBizLink also allows the head of an organisation can give authorisation to certain employees to transact business on behalf of the company.

Persons seeking to import an item can also take advantage of the SEW to save time obtaining an import licence from the Trade Licence Unit of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

“For instance, if you wanted to import a refrigerator, you could do that in your own capacity by registering with TTBizLink and completing the relevant form online. It’s not only easier,” Bidaisee said, “it’s cheaper too because you no longer have to pay someone to do that for you.” Registering a company is another service you can do online for free and at your own convenience.

“Previously, and still that happens sometimes, people pay a lawyer a great sum of money to transact that business on their behalf: to do the name search; reservation; register the business or incorporate if it’s a company, but you are able to do that in your own capacity,” Bidaisee noted.

Joseph-Samaroo added to this, telling Business Day that through the SEW, the ministry has “eliminated the need for that middle man. Persons can now submit applications for themselves from the comfort and convenience of their home/ office, for free.” Singh meanwhile noted that with Government having reduced the fuel subsidy on Super and Diesel gas last month, becoming a registered TTBizLink user “eliminates you having to jump in your car and waste gas sitting in traffic while you drive around to multiple agencies, multiple times, to get the necessary forms submitted.” The new e-maritime services module allows maritime companies to submit their Arrival and Departure declarations online.

Singh told Business Day, “We plan to automate a couple more of the (forms) in the coming year.” The ability to complete your annual returns online is something which Jagdeo said should be available on the website “within six months to a year.” “The Companies Registry currently offers four services on TTBizLink. With the IDB loan, we will add 16 more services.

This means all services offered under the Registrar General’s Department’s Companies Registry right now will be included on TTBizLink,” Singh shared.

She explained that once you have a company incorporated, “you are required by law to file your annual returns to Companies Registry every year to let them know you’re still operating and to give them some details on the company’s business.” Hence adding this to the list of e-services provided by TTBizLink “would definitely be a priority” for SEW because it is in such high demand.

If someone is having trouble or simple wants to know more about how the site works, they can either use the toll-free help desk or send an email to support.ttbizlink@gov.tt The help desk number, 800-4SEW (800-4739), is operational from 8 am to 4 pm, Mondays to Fridays, 8 am to 4 pm.