Customs brokers call for FTC to tackle wharf storage fees

A call is being made for the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) to tackle the problem of storage fees for cargo at the Ports in Kingston.

The request is being made by President of the Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association of Jamaica, Donovan Wignal.

Speaking at Friday's RJR weekly forum, he explained that importers are being made to pay for a service they do not often receive.

“We have a situation where storage is being charged on cargo that the importers does not have access to, we can’t clear the cargo, we don’t have the documentation to clear the cargo, we don’t have access to it and the free time that the wharf gives to clear the cargo has passed,”

“For example, seven or five days after the day of report, storage is supposed to be charged but during that five or seven days, the containers that the cargo comes in have not been stripped but yet still the importers are charged storage,” he said.

Mr. Wignal added that the issue was discussed at a recent meeting with the management of Kingston Wharves and the Commissioner of Customs, Danville Walker.

He believes the Fair Trading Commission should get involved, as some of the regulations relating to storage fees may need changing.

“I think that is a matter for the Fair Trading Commission because if you are not able to give us our cargo then how in heaven’s name are you going to charge us storage for what we cannot collect,”

“We have mentioned it before, we have mentioned it to the wharf authorities and they said they would have engaged the Port Authority on that matter because the decision is not totally theirs, they are working according to the law but I am saying if the law is punishing the people now unfairly then its something that needs to be changed,” Mr. Wignal said.