‘Pit bull’ attitude to exhausted travellers

THE EDITOR: For a change, the Consumer Affairs Minister did not cast stones at the UNC when he hit out at  Customs as being a major contributor to the astronomical cost of doing business. He, however, did not deal with all sides of the Customs dilemma, neglecting to elaborate on the important point of contact between Customs and the general public. This is a disaster area as anyone who believes in the adage “time is money” and has travelled abroad will substantiate. The tribulation that Trinidadians returning home have to undergo, especially at Piarco, at the hands of Customs and Immigration is a crying shame. To begin with you have to encounter the sour faces and rough antics of Immigration officers who have no training in proper deportment when dealing with the public.

Next comes the torment at the hands of crude Customs men and women who regard every returning Trinidadian as a drug mule, a criminal, a smartman or a fugitive from justice. These people have no consideration for items exempted from the negative list and they take extreme pleasure in charging exorbitant sums of money, irregardless. Recently a relative of mine returned from a trip to India with a beautiful murti, an item not on the negative list. After a discourteous interrogation in which the murti was handled with disrespect, she was charged a fortune. That was totally unjust

That these customs officials have no decorum is established in the rough way they rummage through your luggage, taking their cool time while the queue is building up. This can be very embarrassing as no discretion is shown to female travellers and their personal belongings of clothing and hygiene. Do custom officers have sisters, daughters, and wives? Minister Montano must also take an urgent look at the situation at Piarco when a flight lands and the Customs people swing into action. Their “pit bull” attitude to tired, exhausted travellers is also a terrible discouragement to economic development.

SEEMA RAMDEEN
Claxton Bay