This article was shared by a friend........
A Canadian couple have opened up a clinic in a rural area near Cabarete to provide free dental care to the low-income locals, calling the whole organization "Monkey Jungle". Through the generosity of some Canadian connections, they were sent a crate of donations for use at their clinic. When the crate arrived in the Capital, some representatives went down to clear it through customs. The customs official sorted through the contents.
Used clothing is not allowed for charitable duty-free. Well, this is actually an official customs restriction, since many people were using it to resell, although one might be just a little cynical that it will actually be burned, and not "redirected". So, the clothing was placed over in a pile of goods "to be burned".
Brand new scrubs and medical sheets were not allowed. No reason really given; one might guess that it was too difficult to think of a reason why brand new scrubs and sheets would not be allowed for a charitable clinic. Fortunately, in Dominican officialdom, he doesn't actually have to give a real reason. Over in the pile of goods "to be burned".
The lovely brand-new refrigerator, the official insisted, they were not intending for the use of the clinic, they intended it for their own personal use. Of course! What possible use would the refrigerator be to a clinic, with various perishable, temperature-sensitive drugs ... And we all fully believe that the refrigerator will be burned, and not relocated to the official's home ...
Monkey Jungle left a representative to stay with their pile of goods, to make sure nothing (else) went missing. So, while it was quiet in the customs yard, he strolled over to the pile of proscribed goods, and picked up a few things, like the scrubs and sheets, and moved them back to the pile of cleared goods. A few things ... including the refrigerator. Then Monkey Jungle's truck came and loaded up their stuff and drove away with it ... without anyone stopping them or saying anything.
My guess is that the workers in the customs yard don't get any good loot from the seized goods, so why would they care if the big official gets the fridge or not, not their job to say anything to the Monkey Jungle guy busy moving things from one pile to another. But it just kills me, this example of the aritrary, disorganized, inconsistent nature of DR Customs. This is why it's worth it to pay a representative to clear your goods through Customs.
Kind of sums things up......
A Canadian couple have opened up a clinic in a rural area near Cabarete to provide free dental care to the low-income locals, calling the whole organization "Monkey Jungle". Through the generosity of some Canadian connections, they were sent a crate of donations for use at their clinic. When the crate arrived in the Capital, some representatives went down to clear it through customs. The customs official sorted through the contents.
Used clothing is not allowed for charitable duty-free. Well, this is actually an official customs restriction, since many people were using it to resell, although one might be just a little cynical that it will actually be burned, and not "redirected". So, the clothing was placed over in a pile of goods "to be burned".
Brand new scrubs and medical sheets were not allowed. No reason really given; one might guess that it was too difficult to think of a reason why brand new scrubs and sheets would not be allowed for a charitable clinic. Fortunately, in Dominican officialdom, he doesn't actually have to give a real reason. Over in the pile of goods "to be burned".
The lovely brand-new refrigerator, the official insisted, they were not intending for the use of the clinic, they intended it for their own personal use. Of course! What possible use would the refrigerator be to a clinic, with various perishable, temperature-sensitive drugs ... And we all fully believe that the refrigerator will be burned, and not relocated to the official's home ...
Monkey Jungle left a representative to stay with their pile of goods, to make sure nothing (else) went missing. So, while it was quiet in the customs yard, he strolled over to the pile of proscribed goods, and picked up a few things, like the scrubs and sheets, and moved them back to the pile of cleared goods. A few things ... including the refrigerator. Then Monkey Jungle's truck came and loaded up their stuff and drove away with it ... without anyone stopping them or saying anything.
My guess is that the workers in the customs yard don't get any good loot from the seized goods, so why would they care if the big official gets the fridge or not, not their job to say anything to the Monkey Jungle guy busy moving things from one pile to another. But it just kills me, this example of the aritrary, disorganized, inconsistent nature of DR Customs. This is why it's worth it to pay a representative to clear your goods through Customs.
Kind of sums things up......
Last edited: