Building materials are duty free to Cayman Brac but not if imported via Grand Cayman

I find this not only strange but incomprehensible.

Therefore no one in Cayman Brac is going to do business with traders in Grand Cayman because it will be more expensive.

I have to ask why? It makes no sense whatsoever.

It came to light from one of our readers who had regularly done business with customers in the Brac and had had no problem with sending materials to the Brac via Grand Cayman until recently.

Our reader is working on a government project in the Brac and had hoped he could have helped but all he obtained was this answer when he queried it:

“The Customs Law is not within my remit.

“My responsibility is to oversee the project delivery of the XXXXX

“District Admin/Customs Section is responsible for the Duty Waiver in Cayman Brac.
The Collector of Customs is responsible for the Customs Duties in Grand Cayman.

“Will leave with you to resolve with the Customs Officials.”

From Customs Officials:

DO NOT SHIP XXXXX MATERIALS FROM INTERNATIONAL PORTS TO GRAND CAYMAN
– INSTEAD, SHIP MATERIALS TO DESTINATION OF CAYMAN BRAC ONLY
– THE CUSTOMS DUTY WAIVER ON BUILDING MATERIALS IS AVAILABLE IN CAYMAN BRAC ONLY
– ANY OF THE XXXXX MATERIALS SHIPPED AND CLEARED IN GRAND CAYMAN WILL BE CHARGED CUSTOMS DUTY

By way of explanation our reader sent this to his customer (the government!):

“……, the material in question was ordered from XXXXXXX in Grand Cayman for the Cayman Brac XXXX project, so were imported through us here for trans-shipment to Cayman Brac.

“We have done this many times with absolutely no problems or concerns, the main projects being all the XXXXX and installation material for the CB XXXXXX and Cayman Brac XXXXX.

“In fact, we have just this week, quoted for the supply of XXXXX for Cayman Brac XXXXX!

“If we are not going to be allowed to do this then it is going to jeopardise companies in Grand Cayman selling material to Cayman Brac as our customers will go to the States or Jamaica where they can get their orders sent straight through to Cayman Brac. We can’t do this because the goods are invoiced to us and of course we put our mark-up on before shipping, and if they were sent direct then our customers would have our buying contacts and prices!

“I hope this explains our concerns and why it is necessary for us to trans-ship orders to Cayman Brac and still be able to give our customers the benefit of Cayman Bracs’ Duty Free status.”

Obviously the government officials in customs have absolutely no idea how business is done.

To penalise trans-shipments of materials to the Brac from Grand Cayman businesses that originate initially from overseas is utterly ridiculous.