Govt. vows action over soaring demurrage charges

(Kaieteur News) – Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodar Indar has vowed that the government will act to address demurrage charges, which he said place an additional financial burden on consumers and poor families.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Caribbean Shipping Association conference in Georgetown on Monday, Minister Indar described demurrage as an added cost that should not be passed on to consumers. “Demurrage, we detest it. I repeat, we detest it. It is an added cost that should not be there. It is a strain on the consumer, on poor families across economies, including ours. We detest it, and we will act on doing something about it,” the minister said.

Demurrage is a fee that must be paid when cargo remains at a port or terminal for longer than the agreed free time. Government’s move to eliminate advance demurrage was announced earlier this year, disclosing plans to introduce a 21-day grace period before charges apply, measures authorities say could ease the financial strain on importers and stabilise the cost of goods.