Returning residents that were stuck abroad due to closed borders have made complaints about the charges to clear goods at Kingston Wharves. Many claim that the border closure had hindered their arrival to clear items which will now cost thousands of dollars to remove from the wharf. President of the Jamaica Association for Resettlement of Returning Residents , Percival Latouche, shares one such experience.
“She sent her stuff here from November last year and then when she came out to pay for it they told her that they didn’t want any foreign money, they wanted Jamaican money. So, she had to go back up to the States to sort that out. By the time she ready to come down the country lockdown.”
Latouche says the residents are now being charged excessive amount of funds to clear their items. He argues that this should not be the case as the returning residents were denied entry to the island for a period. He is now calling on government to address the issue.
“I am appealing to the government , the Minister of Finance by extension not just look at this case but look at all the cases that met upon this pandemic and make sure these people are taken care of.”
Latouche says he has written to the minister of finance and the public service on the issue but is yet to receive a response. There has been a number of reports on custom duties on personal imports being too high – an issue the Finance Minister, Dr Nigel Clarke had indicated would be addressed in 2018.
IMG Src: businessinsider
