They have written demand letters through their lawyer, they have met with the Comptroller of Customs and the police, all aimed at settling out of court, a case of missing jewelry, which disappeared while in the care of customs, but it was to no avail.
Now left with no options, the owners of Quins Jewelry, Vernessa and Shean St. Hilaire, have filed a lawsuit in the matter even as the disappearance of the jewelry remains a mystery.
The goods were valued at over $20,000.
The lawsuit, DOMHCV368 of 2014, alleges “breach of contract” against customs officer, Collin Dalrymple as the first defendant, Comptroller of Customs, Roderick Deschamps as second defendant and the attorney general of Dominica, Levi Peter, as third defendant.
The saga of the missing jewelry began on April 28, 2014, when Quins Jewelry paid, as per assessed customs duty, EC$7,059.42 on jewelry brought to the island.
On May 1, 2014, the owners were issued with a “customs release order” which advised that they had satisfied customs cargo requirements.The order also authorized customs personnel to release the claimant’s jewelry to them.
However, when the request was made on that day for the release of the jewelry, the owners were told that “it could not be located.”
Between May and June, the claimants made repeated inquiries and follow ups at the customs division but failed to obtain the release of the jewelry.
Through the law chambers of Heather F. Felix-Evans, the claimant wrote to Deschamps demanding a specified sum of money representing the minimum profit loss, as a result of the apparent disappearance of the jewelry.
By letter dated July 21, 2014, Deschamps responded, acknowledging the loss of the jewelry and stated that it was now a matter of criminal investigations.
In the lawsuit the owners of Quins Jewelry said that “in spite of their demands for compensation, the defendants have failed and refused to compensate or offer the Claimants compensation for their loss and damage.”
The owners of Quins Jewelry are seeking damages for “breach of contract” further, “or in the alternative damages for conversation, further or in the alternative, damages for detinue.”
They are also seeking “exemplary damages,” interest on all “sums awarded at the statuary rate of interest, legal practitioners cost and any further and other reliefs as the court deems fit.”
Great! I hope they recoup every penny owed to them.
These customs officers think they are something special. Every time I have to clear items they look down on me and try to belittle me with their clever ‘remarks’. Once I had several pieces missing in a shipment and upon questioning it I was told to speak to the suppliers or the shippers of the merchandise. Let me tell you something, the supplier has no interest in cheating me as he would loose a valued customer. The shippers can not temper with the merchandise because the parcel is sealed. Now guess what, if those two weak points are eliminated who is left. Exactly, you got it in one.
If our police force was what it should be, it would be all to easy to do occasional spot-checks in the customs offices as well as the exit points of customs premises. But…A police force where officers can decline to investigate certain crimes for no apparent reason are not fit for purpose in my book anyway. A crime is a crime and they all need to be investigated. If I am not willing to do so I guess I have to look for another job!!!
do you understand why i was forced to leave dominica? no law no constitution no police no judges no dpp .you can only live there if you are a crook
trust me. If i could leave this God- forsaken-ed place, I would
I smell a rat!!
sea sun rain wind fire and all natural force man have no control, when it rail it falls on evenness house.
What a lawless, corrupt and dirty place this country of ours has become. This administration has spread evil all over Dominica. Am wondering will civilisation ever be restored?
Settle then fire the whole staff they have been playing this dirty tricks for too long especially if they realise they could get away.
It’s about time someone at the Customs is made an example of. Too many items go missing or are significantly less in number when they get to the Port here. Justice needs to be served in this matter!
I personal know a custom’s officer who lives in the south part of the island ,his house looks like a shop. a foreigner who was raised up in dominica ,asked him why is he taking the people’s goods ,he replied ,”garcon ma maylay “Many people are taking high risks in what ever they are doing to make money to buy what ever they are in need of..to find it stolen away by port workers is a disgrace…port workers should keep their vehicles out of the port,they should be searched on their way out because no one should trust them especially the gov’t because now the world knows what is happening through internet ,which has been happening many years ago..no stranger should come and go on a port without permission and close supervision,,investors also are anxious about that sitution which can have a huge impact on the economy ,this situation needs to be clearified and security rules made clear as early as possible…
Cameras should be installed in all facilities where merchandise is stored. Of course, too many sticky finger thieves would be caught. This has been ongoing for years. Cross reference their salaries with the cars they drive and the homes they build. it just doesn’t add up. A bunch of paid thieves.
a hope a hurricane will soon come to clean this dirty island from head to toe yes iam very angry with the performance and the tolerance of all these nonsense these days GOD know
Eh ben weh what next, les ban voilere
everybody in it now, corruption gets glorified and it become the norm in dominica…. monkey see monkey do…
DEM MADD
Custom duties are too damn high: Over $7000 for $20,000 value?? what the…….is this a rebel country, like Somalia?? It’s like the gov’t made the jewelry aand selling them at a profit. I heard duties are even higher on many items. Weird!
Did they at least get back the duty they paid on this missing jewelry?
It is my understanding that the police commissioner was charged with the investigation and delegated it to another senior police officer. Sadly he also refused and another one was assigned the case. No one wants to touch that matter for some odd reason. The problem is we have had so many complaints of “mysterious” disappearances in customs that have NEVER been investigated it begs the question; Who is incharge of this agency?
Further, why haven’t the suspects been sent on leave to allow for a clean investigation? If the investigation fails to shed more light on where the jewelry went to “hide itself” why haven’t the government paid the people for their missing items? This episode points to a long standing culture of thievery and overall dishonesty at this institution that MUST be stopped now. If the guards cant guard themselves them who will guard and protect us from the dishonest guards? Somebody have to go and government has to pay!
. I guess the old saying “monkey see, monkey do” is alive and well as it pertains to corruption and thievery in Ma Dominique. God help us in this corrupted land of ours
Assertive, NOT Aggressive!
I wonder when Dominicans will become mature, objective and focus. The issue here has to do with jewelry having been stolen on the port by those concern meaning customs officers. Why does the comments now have to include police officers and politics? Police officers seem to be you all Dominicans wash rag when the shoe is just on one foot but don’t worry the day will come when you all will beg and cry for police officers. In all that some of you who pretending to hate police officers are sleeping with them every night, your daughters sleep with them every night and they pay bills and put food on you all tables. Give the lawmen a dammm break.
@independent you should not take offence if some mention things about the police in fact if you are a police officer iwould advise you to stay low on this because there are those within the ranks of the police who have put the name and the image of the force into disrepute so brother face reality.
What a country! You cannot trust the Customs to hold valuables in bond. You cannot trust the police with evidence for cases. You cannot trust the law courts to be fair and just. You cannot trust what the government signs with foreign countries. You cannot trust the electoral commission to hold fair elections. Is there any trust, honesty, ethics, morality left in the Commonwealth of Dominica? You cannot trust the people to do the right, be firm be fair!
This case is not yet settled? How distressing and frustrating for the owners of the jewelry.
Certain authorities in Dominica work very slowly as snails. What took them so long to settle this case? They were given an opportunity of some months to settle with the claimants. Do they not realize the financial dilemma they placed them in? These people have been patient.
Let us conduct (sort of) a personal investigation. Who has been investigating this jewelry disappearance? It should not have taken long to investigate, to complete and to settle. Anyone would say the customs employees who knew about the jewelry and who handled and accepted the money for the assessment should be considered suspects. Who else? Was there a break and enter in the room? I think only people who knew about the jewelry would pilfer it. They had access to the room where the jewelry was stored including the keys to the room.
While an investigation was being conducted, were they still on the job? They should have been placed on leave during this time.
Those customs employees are the responsible ones. Were they investigated? Were they under surveillance?
From the moment it was reported, an investigation should have commenced and those involved should have been interrogated and also placed under surveillance.
What happened to the amount of $7059.42? Can the auditor verify that this money was deposited in the Treasury?
Did they have accomplice(s)? The investigation should also have included taping their phone lines as also cellulars, etc.
Do you investigators not know how to conduct an investigation and to complete it and to settle with the claimants? Were you negligent in conducting this investigation or have you been slow at investigating it? You are causing the government to pay an increased amount.
Dominicans are waiting to know the outcome of this case. Between their lawyers and yours hurry up and settle a satisfactory amount that the claimants can get on with their life. Are you aware how much financial, emotional and yes, also physical hardship this has caused them? Have a heart and settle this case. Let Dominicans see how fair you are.
While I am at it, please ensure that personal effects of nationals are secure and that there is no more thievery at the Customs.
The jewelry did not take feet and walk out by themselves. Someone or some people stole them. It sounds like an inside job. This is bad for management’s reputation, reputation of customs employees and that of Dominica in general.
Due to this, I am deterred from sending anything to Dominica. If nationals worldwide of all are aware of that, they will do likewise. In the end some customs employees could lose their jobs due to lack of this business.
My jewellery disappeared as well. It was costume jewellery although the pieces looked very expensive. They were a few items for my personal use so I did not take the matter further than trying to locate the items. Up till now no one can account for the items. Karma is a bitch. Whoever took my stuff will surely get what they deserve if they have not started to pay already. I hope the proprietors of Quins win their case.
There is a theft ring down at the port.
So there are a bunch of thieves working there.
jewelry disappearing at customs ,boat caught fire at coast guard base , money alledgely burnt at the marigot police station, robbery of money at the then melville hall airport,, tyres of president’s car were flatten at the roseau police station, fire bombing of GON Emanuel’s home, state interference inGON Emanuel vs. stephen isidore, fraudulent land transfer deal, bin bobol ,sqaundering of the state’s finances, partisanship of the police force high command , the seemingly partiality of our courts and justice system, passport & birth certifcate frauds wide misuse of govt.assets and resources , agriculture industry is left to mourn and the list is endless .it is only ignorance on the part of some why these things are like the norm in our land .it would be best that we do not have any churches since they have lost their way and their comission. it appears that sin is no longer a reproach why are we still calling God’s name? is it only to feel self righteous ? , we cannot imagine what we are storing for our selves and our children in this land. there is still a God who is the creator let us do away with this Idol who is leading us on that broad road to our inpending destruction.
Karmen elections done come and gone. So continue your campaigning only 5 more years to go.
………..Keys to the Registry completely vanished, Birdy
lol this piece is real…. dem madd
That should be conversion, not conversation.
Maybe some Red Bull fell on the jewelry…
Those customs always had to get what they deserve, I hope Quins win this case and take everything from them. A bunch of liars and thieves. If not the crippling rates, it’s the poor management of (and careless attitude towards) our precious cargo. Those people need to be punished severely for this nonsense. And I hope the government takes heed of that “Customs” sector that has worked very poorly over its existence.
don’t hide behind a computer and speak… hope that you are perfect in an imperfect system.
you are one of the disgruntled people who are very hostile who just speak on case basis to classify everyone.. speak of the situation at hand not the institution.. guess you are a non contributor of the economy
Hmm I wonder where those jewelry went to.
MR Blackmore first test case. A call from him will settle this matter.
Customs is under the ministry of Finance ,you idiot!
Well, no surprise then.
Ha boy…is that a case of greed, dishonesty and corruption perpetuated at the customs, just like we see all too often taking place in the political circles? Just wondering…
You forgot “thievery”
What a bunch of hopeless people they have working for the government. If the claim is valid, pay the damn money (the cost of the material excluding lost profit), and get on with life.
Under no circumstances should the government compensate for lost profit if the jewellery was stolen or lost while in their possession.
Of course, they should be compensated for loss profit. The government could, however, offer a certain amount of settlement to cover all what the claimants are requesting through their attorney. That amount should cover every possible loss.
These people who are imported goods have never heard of insurance… We are almost in 2015…
Fact, I think you will find that in law the claimants are not entitled to loss of profit but compensation for the declared value of the merchandise at best.
voodoo on the dam port
“No law, No constitution”