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JVD residents say new boat charges too high
They said too that to make matters worse, the new charge seems only to be applicable to Jost van Dyke and not Tortola, Virgin Gorda or Anegada.
According to a source who spoke to this news site, the charge now is calculated according to the overall length of the vessel, which they say mostly words out being far more than the old $10.00 per vessel charge. The fee instituted now is $1.00 per foot.
One resident of Jost Van Dyke who asked us to protect his identity told this news site a few days ago that the new fees had taken effect. “There used to have a fee of $10 dollars to check in your boat. Now there was a ruling that went into effect on Friday [January 30, 2015] that they are charging a dollar a foot. So boats that used to pay $10 that moved from $10 to $50 as it is a dollar a foot,” the man said.
“And there are a lot of customers that come to Jost Van Dyke every day and it is upsetting to them. They are bawling out about this,” the man said. “We don’t think we should be made the scapegoat to pay the bill for what they mess up in Ports Authority,” he said.
“Then they are saying that we are the only port in the BVI with the new charges…why do that to Jost van Dyke?” he asked.
The man said that they got the notification about the new fee structure upon going into Customs to pay. “So you call who you got to call. It is ridiculous,” he told our news room.
However, in a statement on Monday February 9, 2015, Public Relations Officer of the BVI Ports Authority April T. Glasgow said that the new charges recently introduced have been postponed pending further consultation with persons in the industry.
“BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) is informing the public that the harbour charges recently introduced for vessels entering and remaining in ‘territorial waters’ have been postponed subject to further consultation with the industry stakeholders,” the statement said.
It said that harbour charges will continue to be applied to vessels berthing in all declared harbours and any of the BVIPA’s facilities, along with all cruise ships irrespective of the berthage location in the BVI.
“Harbour charges, in accordance with the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority Regulations (1995), must be paid in respect of any vessel other than a commercial ferry that berths for approved scheduled ferry services at the BVIPA’s facilities. However, harbour charges are applicable in respect of any commercial ferry carrying on charter services. Harbour charges are calculated based on the overall length of the vessel and where it is berthed. Vessels will be charged at a rate of $1.00 per foot,” the statement said.
A check with our source on Jost van Dyke revealed that the Ports Authority stopped charging the new fee around February 3, 2015.
Glasgow in a comment to this news site said that it is not true that Jost van Dyke was singled out and that any new charges would have to be applied across the Territory.
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20 Responses to “JVD residents say new boat charges too high”
It is charging too high and I cannot swim.
Perhaps it was charging too low like land and house is charging next to nothing.
None of this is particularly new to us, as we are well used to being treating like s..t by the NDP