WESTERN BUREAU -
PEOPLE WHO expect to receive barrels this Christmas season from friends and relatives overseas could be asked to dig deeper into their pockets to clear their goods.
The Gleaner has learnt that a move by the Department of Customs to enforce regulations governing the importation of goods could trigger an increase at the ports.
Most customs brokers were reluctant to say whether their customers would face an increase. However, Hendricks Porter, of Porter Brothers Limited, said many people would end up paying more to clear their goods.
"If someone had paid $2,000 two months ago to clear a barrel, it would definitely cost them more to clear one now with items of similar value," he said.
"It would be difficult to say how much of an increase could be expected. It depends on the value of the items, and the cost of freight," said Mr. Porter. He added that the poor would be the hardest hit because they usually receive barrels from overseas.
The Department of Customs also says it will no longer accept what is called a wharf order, which authorises customs brokers to clear goods on behalf of their customers. Customs officials say the wharf order is not a legal document and that it displays little information about the shipment. Instead, the department is seeking to enforce regulations that require agents and persons clearing goods to submit a Bill of Lading which shows the freight cost, weight and measurement of the shipment.
Silford Brown, custom officer at the Customs head office in Kingston, explained that the information contained on the Bill of Lading is used to calculate the duty charged on the goods called Cost, Insurance, Freight or CIF. In addition to the CIF, customers or their agents are required to pay a service charge of $500 for each transaction and another $1000 for any amendments such as a name spelt incorrectly.
But Mr. Porter said he was concerned that all this could have a negative effect at Christmas when hundreds of Jamaicans abroad send barrels to their friends and relatives.
"Most Jamaicans send barrels at this time and come home to clear it, not knowing this information. Customs need to pass on the information overseas so that Jamaicans coming home to clear their goods will know what to do. Also some persons would have to pay for additional storage if their goods arrive before they get the Bill of Lading."
The head of the Custom Brokers Association, Hyacinth Chantrielle, while admitting that people who opt to clear their own goods might be asked to pay more, did not agree that the Christmas rush would be affected.
"It shouldn't affect the usual Christmas rush, and definitely won't affect business for custom brokers. The wharf order is not legal document, and what customs has done is to put it in the proper channel. The Bill of Laden will reflect the true cost of the goods."
Mrs. Chantrielle explained that customs allow individuals to clear their own goods if it is valued at US$1,000 or less. "Anything valued over this amount has to be cleared by a custom broker. It could mean more to the small man because he may have to pay more to clear his barrel, but it won't affect us. We might actually get more business because people will have to come to us to clear their goods."
