‘It’s stressful’
Customers frustrated with long delays to clear barrels
Published:Thursday | December 16, 2021 | 5:43 PMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
Many Jamaicans are eagerly looking forward to receiving barrels with goodies from their families abroad, which is a source of stocking up on mostly food items, and the wharves are now witnessing crowds of people arriving to collect before Christmas Day.
But this is not without the frustration of long waiting times, long lines and what seems to be a whole-day experience as persons expressed that they would need to take the day off from work in order to bring their barrels, boxes, and other ‘less than container load’ cargo home.
COUNTING THE HOURS
“It’s stressful,” was the cry of one female customer who went by the name Kim as she visited the One Stop Customs Clearance Centre on Marcus Garvey Drive last Wednesday.
Kim told The Gleaner that due to high levels of frustration, she had stopped counting the hours since her arrival as her patience began to waver while awaiting instruction to enter the clearance section of the premises.
This was after she paid her freight fees and other Customs duties.
The first-time visitor to One Stop Customs stated that she did not have a favourable first impression. “Me nah come back again, mi a tell you did truth,” she expressed wearily, adding that if family members chose to send another barrel it would have to be sent either to another location or during a different time period as the Christmas rush was unbearable.
The tent which was pitched outside for waiting customers, along with a few chairs, proved to be insufficient in accommodating the large turnout that gathered, resulting in many persons standing in the scorching midday sun.
A male customer, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said after waiting for more than two hours, the slow process had disrupted the rest of his plans for the day that he wished to carry out.
Another woman shared the experience she had with staff at the centre as they disregarded her struggle to collect her six barrels last Monday.
“Everybody weh you see pass, say them busy ... nobody wanted to assist me. They wanted to do a one barrel where they can get a quick money,” she said.
After she was later assisted, the lady who arrived at noon had not left the location until 7 p.m. that day. This, she said, was as a result of the long line of vehicles that were awaiting their turn to pick up their cleared barrels.
HOLIDAY RUSH
Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL) informed The Gleaner last Friday that as December is seen as the peak season for cargo clearance, they have also witnessed a steady increase in the flow of customers, with a specific increase in personal shipments and in container volumes.
Simone Murdock, corporate services and client experience manager, said KWL introduced Saturday openings on November 27 to ease the long wait times for customers during the holiday rush. KWL also extended opening hours for the warehouse and terminal gate services. That allowance is expected to end by December 18.
Many of the customers have also opted to utilising the online platform ‘Click N Collect’, which was established earlier in the year to improve customer experience, prevent long wait times and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
This platform promises a wait time of 15 to 30 minutes, said Murdock.
KWL has also taken into consideration the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and as such, handling rates have not been increased. However, because of the closure of international borders, a shortage of port and transportation workers overseas, the blockage of the Suez Canal in March, and a number of other factors resulting in “increased bottlenecks and congestion at some international ports”, Murdock said there have been delayed arrivals of a number of vessels at the KWL facilities, but they have managed to remain on schedule.