(CNS): Cabinet has approved a temporary increase in the duty free allowance for all residents for the holiday season. Anyone taking a shopping trip will be able to bring back CI$1,000 worth of goods through the airport before having to pay any duty on their purchases for all of December. This is double the usual CI$500 allowance and will run from 1 December until 5 January. The order does not however apply to online shopping only items bought overseas by travellers coming home through the airport.

Minister for Border Control & Labour Dwayne Seymour thanked the new premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly who supported the initiative which he said fits in the government’s broad outcome goal of improving the quality of life for Caymanians. “By approving a temporary increase in duty allowance, it will ease the burden for individuals and families who desire to travel during the holidays who may find it a challenge to find additional funds to pay for duty as well,” he said.

There was no indication from the government how much revenue they expect to lose that would normally be collected during December given the usual increase in overseas trips ahead of the Christmas holiday.

However, officials reminded travellers that dutiable items with a value exceeding the duty free allowance must be declared on the Customs & Border Control (CBC) Declaration form and presented to a CBC Officer upon arrival. If a CBC Officer suspects that a passenger has either failed to declare items that should be declared, has made a false declaration or is otherwise engaged in the smuggling of contraband, the passenger will be subject to questioning and search by the officer.

Returning residents are advised that the duty free allowance does not apply to merchandise purchased for resale in their business. Those items must be properly declared and the applicable duty paid thereon.