By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
COURIER company Blue Postal is closing the “clearance/courier arm” of its Bahamian operations.
Some customers awaiting overdue packages received notices of the plan this week.
However, Blue Postal officials could not be reached for information up to press time yesterday.
News of the company’s purported plans comes after The Tribune reported last week that several companies had been temporarily barred from clearing imported shipments because of allegedly failing to pay taxes to the government.
Simon Wilson, the Ministry of Finance’s financial secretary, described the situation with the industry as “an ongoing problem” given that operators can quickly build up substantial tax arrears due to the high volume of goods they are clearing on a daily basis. No companies in that situation were publicly identified.
In a purported note to customers, Blue Postal said: “Over a period of time, we have experienced challenges which have drastically affected our service lines and our ability to serve you at the standard to which you are accustomed to.
“After much review and consideration, we have decided to wind down our clearance/courier arm of our Bahamas operations and provide an alternative shipping option locally through other couriers (freight forwarders) to make your packages available for collection. This alternative option will also include the transfer of customs fees to these couriers to facilitate clearance of your packages.”
The company said it will compile a list of couriers for people to choose from.
“Once you select a courier, please reach out to that courier for information regarding how to collect your package as they will be responsible for your shipment once it arrives in Nassau. We will make the list of couriers available by Thursday, April 6.
“We know that your packages are important to you and we are working to make this a smooth transition,” the note said.
Angry customers reacted with confusion to the development yesterday.
“The frustrating part is they are no longer answering their phones,” one complained on Facebook.
Another said their package had been delayed for two weeks now.
Said another: “So Blue Postal really went kaput?!?!?! They were my go to, my fave, so reliable and efficient. What happened man?!?!?”
Comments
ohdrap4 1 year, 1 month ago
Well, they drove away many of their original customer base by requiring a monthtly subscription, which could only be justifie if one were to order mltiple packages per month. They also added a fee to repackage your orders, added expense with disregard to the environment.
That comes for the lack of understanding of the local market.
ExposedU2C 1 year, 1 month ago
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ThisIsOurs 1 year, 1 month ago
So minus a phone call and a remediation plan, this business shutdown probably the most lucrative side of its operation and will undoubtedly reduce staff. More unemployed, more requesting uemployment benefit from NIB and seeking assistance from Social Service, But on the bright side I guess we proved our point.
Said before, Brave Davis needs to accept the fallout or take control of that ministry
ohdrap4 1 year, 1 month ago
You seem oblivious to the point that they are defrauding both the govt and the public. The customers paid the vat and the duty, and should I need to ship the product out for repairs, it might be said that the duties were not paid. At the end of the day, you are the importer, that is why they require you email them the invoice..
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 1 month ago
It cant be said that the duties werent paid because you have a rdceipt that says duties were paid.
I'd buy your argument about being "oblivious" if IR had set an example by swarming that business that they said owed SIX MILLION in immigration fees and hundreds of thousands from the food program jist 2 or 3 weeks ago. But they didnt. You know how I know they didnt do a surprise raid to show how we deal with tax dodgers? Because the PM said "when we SPOKE to them". So there is another way.
And you know why they didnt reveal the name of the businesses? So theyd stay in business. Well...
JokeyJack 1 year, 1 month ago
It's the People's Time to Ride the Wave
BONEFISH 1 year, 1 month ago
@ This is Ours. You are conflating the issue. Department of Inland Revenue doesn't deal with immigration fees. Immigration fees are dealt with by the Department of Immigration. The food program is expenditure and not taxes. The food program came under the Social Services Ministry.
What is happening is the result of something you constantly posted about. Reviews of business licence filings, vat returns and internal operations.ThE director of inland revenue and her team are doing this. Also the custom comptroller and his team are doing something similar there.
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 1 month ago
So if you owe 6 million to one agency under the Mjnistry of Finance they will let you slide but if you owe 100 thousand to another they stop your business from operating? Ok, I get it.
"something you constantly posted about. Reviews of business licence filings, vat returns and internal operations."
I do not "constantly" post about harassing people into compliance. I say we're overtaxed, I ask for orderly processes and innovation. I say charging business license on gross revenue is a nail in the coffin of this economy.
They allowed the 6 million delinquent to remediate over time, I found it weird that they allowed a backup of 6million in collections but they did. It cant just be Minnis, this is 2023.
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 1 month ago
The solution has to be in stopping this buildup in the first place. Playing gatcha is benefitting nobody.
They have all the data on these businesses, they should be able to estimate a "VAT bond" to start the business then after 6 months of operation they should have an idea of the volumes being handled and adjust. If a business isnt able to pay the bond they should never be able to enter this type of business. Separate VAT account and the remittance interval for these businesses should be monthly, reduce/discourage the buildup. The audited statement submission can continue on a quarterly basis.
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