This is a horrendous problem......I am hearing horror stories "across
the board" about this problem and the "shakedown" all are encountering!
JVaughn





On Jan 25, 2008, at 10:00 AM, robert sloane wrote:

> Pix, I don't know whether this is new news or common knowledge, but
> I just
> learned from a representative of Medical Ministry International that
> Haiti is
> Collecting a $12,000 custom fee to clear a 40 foot container into
> the country.
> That, of course, is in addition to the roughly $5000 charge for the
> shipping
> from the US and makes shipping in equipment and supplies even more
> Prohibitive. I hope we don't encounter new duties on bringing in
> medicines as
> luggage next week when we are taking a team. Have you heard of any
> recent
> experience? Bob Sloane
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> Received: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:53:34 AM CST
> From: Pix Mahler <pix@...>
> To: HSCENEWS YAHOO GROUP <hscenews@yahoogroups.com>Cc: Karen Carr
> <karenhcarr2@...>, Ashley Aakesson <aaakesson@...>,
> "Jerry
> Veldman, MD" <veldman@...>, Kesner AJAX <kesnerajax@...>,
> Katy
> BeDunnah <katy@...>, The Haiti Connection
> <director@...>, Cynthia DeSoi
> <cdesoimd@...>, Joan
> and Paul Mclain <Pandjmcl@...>, Albert point Du Jour
> <albepdj@...>, Mark Hare <hareamark@...>, Kathy Walmer
> <fhm@...>, "Bishop J. Zache Duracin" <epihaiti@...>
> Subject: [hscenews] Haiti shipping issues FYI
>
> <http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/080124/story2.shtml>
>
> New Haiti customs system slows Miami River cargo
>
> By Risa Polansky
> A recent change in Haiti's system of collecting customs duties is
> causing confusion at ports of call, leaving cargo lingering and
> causing delays in transit — hitting Miami River businesses hard.
> "Everything is still because of events that are taking place in
> Haiti. There's not a lot of trade happening," said Fran Bohnsack,
> executive director of the Miami River Marine Group.
> Richard Dubin, vice president of Miami River-based Haiti Shipping
> Lines, estimates that, since November, business has been down 80%
> from past seasons.
> During November and December, he usually sees 10 to 12 boats come
> in to facilitate trade to Haiti, he said. Last year, it was only two
> or three.
> "Believe it or not, some people are still trying to get their
> Christmas cargo through the customs process there," he said. "It's
> been a nightmare."
> Supportive of the change to "properly collect the duties and put
> them in the right pockets" in Haiti, it's the execution of the new
> system that cargo business are struggling with, Mr. Dubin said.
> Munir Mourra, president of River Terminal Services, agreed "the
> problem is not the fact that the duties are being collected, it's the
> application."
> Haitian port workers have been poorly trained to handle new
> regulations, Mr. Dubin said, and communication has been muddled.
> "It should be a one-day, two-day process," he said. "I've had
> cargo sitting at the port for almost two months."
> The delays mean "there's a lot of people hurting and a lot of
> merchandise spoiling," Mr. Dubin said, noting that "the majority of
> the cargo that comes from South Florida to Haiti is food items, and
> they're perishable."
> Throughout the river, Mr. Mourra said, "we fear that this might
> cause a humanitarian crisis."
> As food exports to Haiti dwindle, "prices of goods (there) are
> probably going to be doubled," he said, to the detriment of the
> Haitian population, which depends on the "basic commodities" that
> come from here, such as rice, beans, oils and cornmeal.
> Miami jobs have already suffered, Mr. Mourra said.
> "Pretty much the stevedoring has been off" on the Miami River, he
> said. "We've had to lay off some people."
> Mr. Dubin predicts "you'll see a lot of the businesses that
> support these boats probably close, go out of business, lose a lot of
> money."
> The situation in Haiti has been "getting better," Ms. Bohnsack
> said, since it began in November.
> But because of the numerous entities affected, from exporters to
> stevedores, she said, it's "hard to get it started right back up
> again."
> Those who have diverted their shipping routes may have a hard
> time going back to Haiti, Mr. Mourra agreed.
> "Once you pull out a vessel," he said, "it's very difficult to go
> back."
> As is convincing exporters to trust the process and try shipping
> Haiti again after they've been burned by inefficiency there, Mr.
> Dubin said.
> The local industry has been reaching out to Haitian officials to
> facilitate a smoother transition, both River businessmen said.
> If the situation is not soon resolved, it could have a "major
> impact to sales and to labor" here, Mr. Mourra warned.
> The local Haitian Consulate did not return a call for comment.
>
>
>
> Pix Mahler
> pix@...
> http://www.pcusa.org/missionconnections/profiles/mahlerp.htm
> PCUSA Haiti Partnership Facilitator
> 1022 Floyd St.
> Lynchburg, VA 24501
> 434-385-9486
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>