ORANJESTAD – Supermarkets and importers on St. Eustatius are facing concerns due to an unclear situation at the harbor, which is hindering their ability to retrieve goods. 

Although the exact cause of the situation is not immediately apparent, there appears to be a brewing conflict between the Harbor Management and the Customs Department. Custom Officers are currently prohibited from entering the harbor area with their vehicles due to congestion, a measure that Customs finds unacceptable.

This situation has resulted in supermarkets being unable to collect groceries that have arrived on the island. Moreover, the concerning practice of leaving products outside in the heat raises worries about potential impacts on food quality.

The BES-Reporter has learned that supermarkets were granted access to their cold storage between 1 and 3 PM, but this did not resolve the issue concerning dry goods.

No Response: 

On Wednesday afternoon, the BES-Reporter attempted to obtain a comment from Government Commissioner Alida Francis on the matter but was unsuccessful.