At least twenty Bahamian business owners have been warned by the the Office of the Attorney General to settle outstanding debts with the Department of Customs.
A local newspaper reports that Customs Comptroller Glenn Gomez has confirmed that these importers owe the government millions of dollars, with one importer alone owing roughly $2 million.
Gomez also confirmed that, as reported last week, former PLP Minister of Trade and Industry Leslie Miller owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in duty.
Customs is holding a 40-foot container containing a variety of goods, including appliances and auto parts, until Miller pays the full duty owed.
Miller says it was all a misunderstanding. He simply wasn’t aware of all that was in the container and thus, doesn not have invoices for some of the items.
Gomez says that’s the oldest excuse in the book.
“They always say that,” Gomez said. “That’s not a believable one as far as I’m concerned.”
