Spanish Ambassador to Jamaica, Jesús Silva (left) and Cecil Bailey, deputy director of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, examine relief supplies donatedby the Spanish International Cooperation Agency in Spain, at the Norman Manley International Airport on Friday, August 24. Goods consigned to agencies like the ODPEM for relief will be exempted from duties. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Goods designatedfor hurricane recovery will escape import tariffs, including GCT, environmental levy and customs user fee.

The Customs Department said Wednesday it has invoked its 'special clearance procedures' for the processing of supplies entering the island for disaster relief.

"The staff has been working assiduously to ensure that relief is cleared expeditiously," said Commissioner of Customs, Hector Jones.

"The relief is urgently needed and so we must play our part in facilitating speedy clearance."

The exemptions apply only to supplies consigned to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Salvation Army, Red Cross, Food For the Poor, Missionaries of the Poor, Adventist Development and Relief Agency, members of the Jamaica Council of Churches and the Jamaica Association of evangelicals.

business@gleanerjm.com

Taken from the Financial Gleaner, Friday August 31, 2007.