BVI visiting yacht charges.

AndrewB

AndrewB

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I see Noonsite reports a proposed swingeing new fee to be charged to all visiting yachts to BVI as from this month. This on top of the usual charges. Anyone on the ground there to report what's actually happening?

If it's true, looks like another desirable destination off my list (I avoided the Bahamas after they did the same, though the BVI fees look potentially higher).

Would it make a difference to whether you go there?
 
Might still want to visit, but if I did, it would be a short visit, as i wouldn't want to stop there long with all those taxes, which I suppose are on top of marina charges.

It may well cost them in the long run, as they would likely lose the revenue that a lot of visiting yachts might actually spend on the islands.

I noted recently that The Channel Islands quantified visiting yachts as contributing a susbstantial amount to the islands tourist industry economy. Can't remember what the figure was, but they reckoned it was a useful sum. Taxes on the CI are usually very low by comparison.
 
I already avoid the BVIs. Too expensive, obnoxious customs & immigration officials and often awkward to reach or find reasonable nearby anchorages. When transitting I bypass these islands which in my opinion offer great cruising for charterers who do not have to check in and out, and who may not mind as much as cruisers the high prices for moorings, food and restaurants etc. The USVIs, especially St John are much more enjoyable for cruisers. The Spanish VIs and Puerto Rico are also highly recommended.
The sooner all the Caribbean islands introduce a simple, common system for checking in/ out the better. Most of the islands use out dated paperwork (sometimes related to merchant shipping), often having to be filled out in quintuplicate (!) and include such questions as "how many stowaways onboard?"
I am fed up with being to told as a sailor (but not as an aircraft passenger), to dress smartly, be scrupulously polite and kow towing to small minded officials with big chips on their shoulders. Equally ridiculous are some of the overtime charges paid to these people - has anyone paid overtime when arriving at an airport?!
On a scale of 1-10 for Caribbean Officialdom I would rate the BVIs as 2.
Bermuda by comparison 10. Trinidad and Tobago 5. US islands 6. Grenada 7. Antigua 7. Bahamas 6.
 
If the Bahamas and BVIs can make heavy visiting charges for yachts , it would seem just a matter of time before most other Caribbean destinations (particularly the Grenadines) do so as well.

I have doubts whether some of these 'overtime payments' ever appear on the books, or are just pocketted. I have known customs posts in the Caribbean where there is never an officer in attendance until 'out of hours'. Not a large sum for each yacht, but a tidy little bonus for the officers. A couple of times when I've needed to offer a bribe, I've refered to it as an 'overtime payment, for the extra work involved' - and its been accepted.
 
"Overtime" charges are not restricted to the paradise locations.

On arriving in Heathrow at 6am on a Sunday, I had a small parcel of opals which, as they were for resale through my business, I felt I should, being honest, declare. Needless to say, there were no officials about at that time of the day, so I used the customs hall telephone to make my 'Out of Hours' declaration. Big mistake! After a delay of over two hours whilst a C&E bod got his a*** in gear, they charged me an additional £60 as an 'overtime' charge.

Now I could have walked straight through the hall, paid nothing, and collected my car, and no-one would have been any the wiser.

If there is a next time..................!

Honesty pays, eh?

Enjoy paradise guys!!

Vince
 
Gawd, the BVIs have changed from when I was there a dozen years ago, we had a damn good time, found plenty of anchorages or mooring buoys (discounted if you ate at the owning restaurant) and pleasant officials.

How does your scale run? is 1 low officialdom or high ?
 
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Gawd, the BVIs have changed from when I was there a dozen years ago, we had a damn good time, found plenty of anchorages or mooring buoys (discounted if you ate at the owning restaurant) and pleasant officials.

How does your scale run? is 1 low officialdom or high ?

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Certainly agree. We were last there in 2003, and aside from the official mooring buoys (which we never used), there were absolutely no charges at all. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

We didn't rate the BVI's very highly anyway, so would be quite happy to give 'em a miss on the next trip. Shame they're going that way though. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
We spend all our time in the Caribbean now and everytime we clear customs at any Island being clean and polite has never gotten us into the bad books with the some times rude and surly officials.
But have witnest more than 1 scruffy inpolite idoit get in to world of problems because they know better than anyone else how things should be done.
The BVI's customs officials can be some of the hardest to be pleasant to , but if in dout smile plead ignorance and ask for help, so far it's worked.
 
From the Blue Water Sailing newsletter

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BVI Cruisers Tax Remains in Murky Waters

Recent reports on new legislation allowing the Virgin Islands Ports Authority to enforce harbor charges beginning July 1 have been premature. This, according to Steve Black, Director of the Caribbean 1500 Rally.

Steve told the Cruising Compass this week: “There is a huge amount of misinformation being circulated because the rules have changed almost daily. Nothing has been charged yet. I have been communicating with the Premier’s office, with Tourism, the BVI Port Authority, VISR, and several marina operators.”

“This has been a real struggle for the various departments in the BVI. They have backed off with regard to the endless fees once proposed, because they realize how much it would negatively impact tourism. New regulations are still being written and they will be subject to change. The agency called ‘VI Ship Registry’ has been charged with issuing licenses to boats that don’t want to pay the 50 cents per foot/per day fee. Their fee may vary with size but at this time, its likely to be under $200 per year.”

These charges will be levied on all vessels entering and remaining in the territorial waters or using a Ports Authorities facility, according to Government Information Services. Although new regulations and port fees were approved back in 1997 by the chief minister, they have really never been enforced. In April, Premier Ralph O’Neal urged the House of Assembly to pass new legislation during his 2008 Budget Address.



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