Erica James-King, Senior Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE FAILURE by the authorities to remedy some infrastructural woes at the island's second largest seaport, the Montego Bay Port, is proving to be a vexed issue for members of the Customs Brokers Association of Jamaica, several shipping agents and other port users.
The Customs Brokers Associa-tion of Jamaica (CBAJ) is warning the Port Authority of Jamaica that if the problems are not addressed as a matter of urgency, chaotic times are ahead for port users, once the Christmas season kicks off at the end of this week. They are also predicting lengthy delays for persons who are expecting barrels from overseas for Christmas.
The need for improved storage and warehouse facilities at the Montego Bay Port is a source of discontent. The problem the importers say, has been affecting them for the last 15 years and as a consequence, they are renewing their calls for the matter to be urgently addressed.
"The way things are stored in the warehouse leaves a lot to be desired," complained Wesley Gordon, a customs broker from Montego Bay. "Things are not stored in proper order, a lot of time is wasted in trying to find goods when you go down there to have them cleared through customs."
Meanwhile, in highlighting the concerns of members of his organization, President of the CBAJ, Hendricks Porter, points out that port users in western Jamaica are disgusted with the long time it is taking the authorities to improve conditions at the port.
For years the brokers have been saying the port is just too congested and counterproductive. Because of the limited space for storing items in the warehouse, a container with consolidated cargo for up to 15 consignees might be lying in the yard for up to two weeks before it is stripped.
"There are several more containers in the same predicament lying in the yard because of lack of storage space in the warehouse for the items they are holding. The waiting period is lengthened considerably during the Christmas season," laments Mr. Porter.
While lauding the Govern-ment for speeding up the paper work for the processing of cargo at Customs House in Montego Bay and Kingston, Mr. Porter claims the undue delays in clearing cargo is clouding some of the positive developments now enjoyed by importers.
Leroy Levy, a broker who has operated out of Montego Bay for more than 30 years, blames the Government's negligence in boosting the fleet of forklifts for cargo and the inadequate warehouse space, for the continued inconvenience being faced by port users.
Currently there are only two operational forklifts at the Montego Bay Port - one used for locating items stored in the warehouse while another is employed in transporting cargo that has been stripped from the container to the warehouse.
