Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
A GOVERNMENT ban on the importation of firecrackers has been in place for more than 10 years now, yet each year thousands make their way to the market in time for Christmas and New Year's festivities.
Last month a container load of firecrackers valued at $1.3 million was confiscated at the Kingston Wharves indicating that would-be importers have found creative ways to by-pass the official system.
The container that was intercepted had 287 cartons or 86,000 firecrackers camouflaged among toy guns.
"Someone was trying to get the container off the wharf and the name of the consignee was fictitious. The driver for the trailer was detained and questioned," Omar Walker, director of the Jamaica Customs' Contraband Enforcement Team (CET) told The Sunday Gleaner.
DESTROYED
"The firecrackers were immediately destroyed by the Customs officers with the aid of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF)," he said.
According to Mr. Walker, firecrackers, despite being illegal, 'are finding their way' onto the streets of Jamaica.
"We know at this time of the year people will try and bring them in. It's a big business out there on the roads. It's a traditional problem."
But the vendors are quite clear why they sell them. "The people dem want it so mi a sell it," said a vendor in the Cross Roads area.
"Money inna it so mi a deal with it," said a man who called himself Paul.
But so far, the authorities at the Norman Manley and Sangster International airports are having no problem with persons trying to import the pyrotechnic contraband.
"We are not encountering any firecrackers coming in at this time. It's mostly a problem at the wharves," said Milton Moore, supervisor of the Queens Warehouse at Norman Manley Airport.
"We are not seeing any firecracker coming through here," said Maxine Bowen, a supervisor at the Customs department at the Sangster International Airport. "If we do, we'll detain them for destruction."
Persons caught with the firecrackers are liable to be punished for breaches of the Town and Community Act, Public Order Act and the Customs (Trade Act).
In 1994, two men were sent to jail for five days for detonating firecrackers in Mandeville and last year in Portland, the police seized fireworks from vehicles entering the parish.
Also last year, a woman from Passage Fort was arrested during a police operation. The police found 25 packets of assorted firecrackers and seven toy guns along with several cartridges for the guns.
Firecrackers are sold for $250 or $500 a pack, depending on the size of the pack.
Many persons have raised concerns about the easy availability of firecrackers on the streets.
Dr. Marylyn Duff, in a recent letter to the Editor, said that last year, she had the unhappy experience of watching a neighbour's house burnt to the ground as a result of children playing with firecrackers.
