DAVID ROSE

I'm still not closer to getting clear answers from @jamaicacustoms as to what the set and established process is around retrieving bank/spend cards that are being held under their newly implemented policy, and what persons can expect once they engage with this process. I sent an email to the Commissioner of Customs yesterday that included the following, hoping to get a response soon: ---------------- Good day Mr. Benjamin, I’m Monique Powell, Founder & CEO of Sendana. Sendana is a US-based fintech platform geared towards freelancers, remote workers and content creators globally, who need a seamless way to receive payments from overseas clients and platforms. Recently, the experience users based in Jamaica have been having with Jamaica Customs has become incredibly frustrating. Several users have ordered cards from us which are delivered via DHL. Once the card gets to Jamaica and Customs gets involved, the process becomes very difficult to navigate and people are exasperated. I understand that this is due to a change in policy as it relates to how bank cards coming into the island are treated. Once the cards are held, DHL provides customers with only a slip saying the card has been detained by Customs for investigation, with zero instructions on the slip from Customs that say what the next steps should be. When the card recipients call Customs and ask for the investigations department, they are transferred to an extension that seems to be rarely answered. I have personally experienced this on multiple occasions as well. For the few that do get through to someone, they are promised call backs that sometimes don’t happen. Some who are fortunate enough to get further in the process are asked for additional information. Sometimes this is an ID, sometimes it’s an ID plus a letter, sometimes it’s an ID plus a letter plus account statements. It seems there might not be a clear and standardized process around this. I have no problem with additional checks being done on cards coming into the country and fully understand the stated reasons for doing so. What is problematic is the seeming lack of a clear process that people can refer to and follow. I am humbly requesting that clear guidelines be shared that will allow persons to understand: - Who their named contact at Customs is - The set list of documents they are to provide - Where they are to send this information - What turnaround time they are looking at I believe these guidelines should be readily accessible to the public. Also, if there is anyway we can support this process, please let me know as well. Thank you.