JCA Prepares for Christmas Season

The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) is preparing for the upcoming 2016 Christmas season, so as to efficiently process items entering the country’s airports and seaports.

To deal with the anticipated increase in goods coming in, the JCA will be providing additional staff at the ports as well as increasing the complement of customer-service agents to assist with queries from customers.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Operations, JCA, Karlene Henry, said while the organisation is gearing for the season, it continually seeks to improve its service to the public.

She was speaking at the 15th annual Customs Seminar of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC), held recently at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston.

“The JCA will provide additional staff for customer service because we realise in this time, persons need information, they have complaints to be resolved and the customer service staff is where that authority lies in providing the resolution for all the different complaints and services,” she noted.

Additionally, opening hours will be extended during the week and on weekends to facilitate the processing of declarations, and the JCA will be consulting with port operators and warehouse keepers on the opening hours during the period.

These temporary measures are to take effect during the first week of December.

Members of the public are being reminded of the procedures for clearing items at the ports:

– Collect your shipping documents from the shipping agent and pay the relevant handling and/or freight charges.
– Proceed to the warehouse where your barrel is stored and pay the relevant handling and storage fees.
– Present the shipping documents to the security personnel at the warehouse. Once the barrel is located, the Customs Officer will request that you open the barrel for examination.
– Following examination, the Customs Officer will value your goods, after which you will be instructed to proceed to the Customs Cashier to pay the applicable duties/fees.
– Present the Release Order to the Warehouse Operator, who will issue a gate pass. Proceed to the delivery area with your gate pass to collect your barrel.

Travellers are also being reminded that if they receive an Unaccompanied Baggage Clearance Declaration (C27/yellow form) at the airport, this, along with your passport and Tax Payer

Registration Number (TRN) card is to be presented to the Customs official at the Warehouse.

Barrels containing ‘personal effects’ (food, clothes, toiletries, basic household items) or ‘non-commercial’ items attract a minimum charge of $6,500.00 per barrel.

Persons who are clearing a barrel on behalf of a consignee must present a letter of authorisation that is signed and stamped by a Justice of the Peace (JP), as well as the consignee’s TRN card and valid passport, to the Customs official. Photocopied documents must also be signed and stamped by a JP.

For more information persons can visit: www.jacustoms.gov.jm.