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+--- Thread: If you bring gifts to the island .... (/showthread.php?tid=102900)
If you bring gifts to the island .... - CardBoardBox - 03-02-2021
Due to the good intentioned notion of bringing things to give away in Jamaica, there are many good ideas and some ideas which deserve a word of caution.
The question is asked from time to time and is a current topic on another web site. So I'm puting a few words here, however incomplete it is.
An empty suitcase, if you don't pay extra, has an alternative - cardboard boxes (if the airline accepts them. At xmas they don't.) They are "one way luggage" but you will never get through the "nothing to declare" line at the airport.
Electronics can attract a duty which used to be 25%, like auto parts. Knowing phones can cost hundreds, I'd say that the x-ray machine will result in "open the box" and then you get into the "did you declare these gifts?" and how much duty are you willing to pay (or lose the items.) People on the island freely ask for these items and it is a complex situation to describe. Typical "I'll pay you when you get here" usually has pitfalls, ie excuses. This is true for any item actually.
People getting stuff always seem grateful. That's part of the charm, real or not.
Used items are cheaper then new yet equally accepted. On lady spent $20 on new sheets (got murdered by customs BTW) and could have gotten more sets from the local goodwill store. Everyone needs sheets (50/50, foral prints are best) cause new ones from Sav-la-Mar do not last long.
Distribution of items turns out to be more hassel than it's worth sometimes. Gave a pen and paper to a Rasta and he got insulted since he can never learned how to read. (He was a vendor. IMO record keeping uses numbers, but I guess he don't need such a thing.)
Baby clothes are expensive everywhere. I have given away boxes of them. I'm sure some got sold. Offer everything and the first person will take everything. I found that if charged ten cents each (that's USD), the person would only take things they needed which fit.
Jamaicans are proud. If it's not first quality, leave it (clothes) at home.
You may run into a local who feels items brought down "wrecks the economy" for people who are vendors.
I believe the library does not want books. Was true once. I brought shoes to the all-age-school once a long time ago - they had a room full.
I don't bring things which need batteries.
Over 30 years of visits has given me some insight, but I've been wrong on some suggestions. Someone somewhere always needs something. If I visited Africa, I'd want to bring 20# of rice. But in Jamaica, don't ignore that people are buying cars there for J$2 million and dressed in fashionable clothes.
I remember one person touting how the foam bottle insulators were always well received. Anyone ever see a Jamaican use one? You'll always find someone with their hand out yet sometimes the person's value of an item is equal to what they paid.