Name: Whizchiz
Country:
Title: Custom and Vat
Comments: Imagine I paid less than US 69.99 (less than TT$500) for an item that is used, not being manufactured again and not sold in this country and the shipping + duties and taxes come up to TT $950. I have half a mind to tell them keep it.
Name: MH
Country:
Title: Tax no matter what
Comments: When I first started importing items for my personal use they were coming straight to my mailbox, but then I think they realized that alot of things were coming in to me and they began taxing everything I import. What's terrible about it, is that they always over estimate the cost of the item and I wind up paying way over the item value to clear it. Fair is fair, I don't mind paying if they'd like to tax an item but at least they can value the item correctly. If you think the declared value of the item on the package will help, think again. If they don't agree with the declared value, they still tax the item.
Name: Ricardo
Country:
Title: duties
Comments: Whats really ridiculous is that it varies at the discretion of the officer on duty, especially with skybox. The businesses are also really dishonest because even though they benefit from bulk buying they still charge per unit mark up on items for example clothing. So you might pay 15us duty on a $30 top, they would get the top for 20us and still charge you 20+15+17.50(50%mark up)+vat I.e. = 60us x 6.4 = approx $390, you just paid $400 for a $190 top that they paid $125tt for. Thats $265 profit, Cruel to say the least best to go Miami off peak and buy your things yourself and pay the overweight penalty, that's what I do
Name: George
Title: Jumping on the criminal bandwagon
Comments: Things are definitely getting better for citizens here who have criminal tendencies, that is why so many citizens, including policemen are now jumping onto the bandwagon of serious crime and the behavior of many of our secondary school pupils being nurtured into becoming potential criminals. The article in today's issue of the Newsday newspaper entitled ' Customs officer under probe' speaks for itself. It would now appear that since the nation is falling to pieces that the truth is popping up all over the place,and every Tom, Dick and Harry is wanting,and is anxious to become rich overnight by dabbling in some sort of crime.Can't wait for more such reports in tomorrow's local press.These sort of crimes are now running parallel with the everyday slaughter of innocent citizens that now occur here on a daily basis.
Name: Flybynight
Title: TT import duties and taxes
Comments: I was thinking of shipping my brother an acoustic guitar from the US. So customs put their own value on it, regardless of the item's accompanied invoice? That's insane and grand theft. That shows the backwardness of Trinidad. Only third world countries carry on in this thieving way. So if I paid 350.00US for the guitar, they ignore that cost and assess their own? I think this is insane.