I hate posting anything negative online about my people or country, but the way many in Jamaica run businesses
have got to change.
Imagine you spend yuh big big money fi ship yuh tings dem from farin. Only to end up in hell and powda house fi get them.
It does not need to be this way, but the lack of accountability here is a problem.
We need systems in place that can hold Customs, wharf employees, brokers and the other people we depend on in this process accountable.
Jamaica wants to become a developed nation, and this is one of the places where we can lead the way.
My experience is not the only story I have heard. People have shared their own shipping and vehicle-damage experiences with me.
One man told me about a vehicle where part of the top was cut so it could fit in a container. Another told me about a car being badly
scratched by the straps used to secure it. Those are accounts people told me directly, not incidents I independently verified, but they
are another reason I now tell people to photograph and video the vehicle carefully before it is loaded and again before accepting it after shipping.
Almost two weeks later, I was still trying to get my belongings.
My personal belongings travelled in my car. After the car was inspected in Jamaica, the belongings were taken out and were not put back for my broker to clear everything together. I eventually got the car, with deep scratches and the antenna broken off, but not the belongings.
When my broker stopped responding, I called the company in Jamaica that had received the shipment from the UK. I was told that he had the Bill of Lading and that they could not simply reissue that legal document to me, even though the shipment was in my name. I was told I would need a police report first. Initially I was told I had to drive from St Ann to Newport to make that report in person. After I questioned that and spoke with someone higher up in the police, I was told I could make the report in St Ann, pay the required fee and wait for the formal report to be produced.
Here is the part that matters for you: the person acting as my broker came highly recommended by somebody in my community. She swore by him. He knew people and could get things done. Only afterwards did I learn that he was not a properly licensed Customs Broker. When everything is going smoothly, that distinction may not feel important. When something goes wrong and you need accountability, it becomes very important.
Warning
A link is not a licence.
Use the Jamaica Customs approved broker list before you appoint anybody. I learned that lesson the expensive way.
Ask how tightly your belongings are being packed.
A source who works in shipping told me directly that he used to pack customers' belongings as tightly as possible so more shipments could fit into the available container space and the company could make more money. He said he stopped because dealing with unhappy customers when belongings were damaged was not worth the headache.
I cannot tell you how widespread that practice is, and I am not going to pretend I can. I can tell you what someone inside the industry told me he personally did. Consolidated shipping itself is normal. My warning is to ask how your things will be packed, protected and secured, who is responsible for damage and what the insurance actually covers. Photograph your belongings before they leave you.
The bigger issue for me is accountability.
Jamaica runs heavily on “links.” Somebody knows somebody,
somebody can give you a number, somebody can make a call. I have benefited from that generosity since coming home, and I am grateful for it.
But links alone cannot be the entire system. When friends know friends, it can also become difficult to challenge poor service.
A returning resident who knows nobody should still be able to understand the process, see what they are paying for, know who is responsible
and have somewhere meaningful to go when something goes wrong.
My advice now: get names, fees and responsibilities in writing; keep every receipt and payment record; ask for the official document
behind any charge you do not understand; and move important conversations out of phone calls and into writing. A “link” can help you
find the right person. It should never replace a transparent process.
If something goes wrong, create a paper trail and escalate it.
Start with the company that actually handled the part of the process you are challenging. The shipping line, freight forwarder,
terminal operator, broker and Jamaica Customs do not all perform the same role, so send the complaint to the organisation that was
responsible for the disputed service. Ask for a written response, a claim or reference number, the company's claims procedure and any
applicable insurance information. Attach the bill of lading, invoices, receipts, before-and-after photographs, collection documents,
dates, names and repair estimates where relevant.
Shipping company, freight forwarder or terminal
Make the written claim directly first. Check the bill of lading or contract for notice deadlines and claim requirements. If you are unsure which local company handled the cargo, the Shipping Association of Jamaica directory can help identify shipping agents, freight forwarders and terminal operators.
Licensed Customs Broker
Complain to the broker in writing first. Jamaica Customs licenses Customs Brokers. If the problem concerns a broker's customs work or conduct and is not resolved, contact Jamaica Customs Customer Service and provide the broker's name and your supporting documents.
Jamaica Customs Agency
For a Customs service complaint, use the JCA General Queries or Complaints Form, email public.relations@jca.gov.jm, or call Customer Service at 876-948-7849 or toll-free 1-888-287-8667. JCA also lists quick.response@jca.gov.jm for general contact.
Consumer Affairs Commission
If you paid a Jamaican business for a product or service and the complaint remains unresolved, the CAC accepts formal consumer complaints. Its current contacts include complaints@cac.gov.jm, info@cac.gov.jm, 876-906-5425 and 876-619-4222.
PICA or citizenship service problem
Keep one email thread and ask for a case or ticket number. PICA currently lists 876-754-PICA (7422) and support@picahelpeu.freshdesk.com. Its REL-M customer relationship system is also designed to track issues. Citizenship services are handled at 8 Waterloo Road in Kingston and through Jamaican overseas missions.
If the problem crosses an overseas Mission and Jamaica
For a citizenship matter involving an overseas Jamaican Mission, copy the Mission and PICA so both sides can see the same chronology. The Jamaican High Commission in London is currently listed at jamhigh@jhcuk.com and +44 20 7823 9911. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade also lists consular@mfaft.gov.jm for Consular Affairs.
