Jamaica Tours, Guides and Vacations

We decided we wanted a vehicle and began looking for one over a month ago now. A new car was out of the question and the used car market here is pretty poor but I found that you can get a car here for as low as $1000 US and I figured what better way for us to get around than our own vehicle. As we started looking it became more apparent that what we really wanted was a van so we could go on our own tours and so we decided to spend the money and find a van for sale in Jamaica. Well there are loads of vans and buses for sale using the Gleaner Classifieds but as you can see the average price is above $500,000 Jamaican dollars or about $8000 US which was quite a bit more than we had to spend.

I found that you could find used cars for sale in Jamaica at lower prices but they go fast. There are used car dealerships in Jamaica in major cities such as Kingston, Montego Bay and even Mandeville but the market is more for newer cars in the 2003 and newer model years. I wanted to spend less than $200,000 or about $3000 US on a vehicle and I felt we should be able to buy a decent running vehicle at that price. You can forget finding anything like that at a dealership in Jamaica. It simply does not exist and most won’t even have a car on the lot under $350,000JA. I was however lucky to find a 1996 Nissan Vanette for sale in the Gleaner one morning at $220,000 and I jumped in a bus and ran to Kingston to buy it. It took me two weeks to do so but I finally bought a van for less than $200,000 and got it insured and registered in my name. Dealing with the motor vehicle transfer was much fun also. I had to have insurance on the car in my own name before I could register it. I was lucky that i bought the car from a nice Jamaica family and they had already taken care of much of the paperwork necessary. You will have to have the Title signed by someone form the Tax Collectorate, a Certificate of Fitness which seems to be like a vehicle inspection and Insurance which set me back $28,000JA. I bought a new set of tires for it just because I feel safer on them but we’re on the road finally.

I’ve had the van for about two weeks now and I have put over 2500 KM on it thus far in trips to Kingston, Sav La Mar and all over the South Coast and Westmoreland Parish. Buying a car in Jamaica is pretty easy actually and a great way to see the country. Learning how to drive a right hand drive stick shift van on the left hand side of the road was a whole different story and I was involved in a minor accident on my first drive home from Kingston. Some guy clipped the side of the van pulled the rear tail light off but I already had it fixed and I even went to court over my traffic ticket but pled guilty when the cop who pulled us was sitting next to the juge all buddy buddy like. I knew there was no reason to even argue the case and I accepted a fine of $4000JA for “Careless Driving” as I was blamed for being on the wrong side of the road on a road with no sides. Thats the way things go in Jamaica and I knew there was no sense in fighting it. I left the courthouse and drive to Roaring Rivers with the kids and had a blast. I love our van and so do the kids, maybe one day you’ll come for a ride with us here in Jamaica.

In order to conduct any sort of business in Jamaica you must first register to get a TRN or Taxpayers Registration Number. I knew we would need a TRN for things like opening up a bank account, buying a car and opening a business so I decided to get one while in Kingston. I was in pursuit of a bank account in Jamaica so I can move some money here and avoid the ridiculous fees charged to withdraw some cash here in Negril. Opening up a bank account turned out to be a little more difficult then expected but I found a way around things for us and maybe someone else can appreciate the information but first back to the TRN.

The TRN application is pretty simple and straight forward and forms can be downloaded from the Jamaica Tax Administration in advance so you’re prepared once you arrive. Any government office in Jamaica is going to be busy but the Tax Collectors Office must be the worst. I was actually very lucky on my first trip through and getting the TRN was pretty fast, subsequent trips for the motor vehicle transfer would prove much more difficult. After filling out the forms and submitting them I was given a slip with my TRN number and told I could pick up my TRN card at the Sav La Mar office in about one months time. I have not yet done so but the month is almost up.

Opening a bank account in Jamaica was quite a bit trickier but there is a solution for those of us without strong connections to the island already. Commercial banks in Jamaica such as NCB, ScotiaBank and RBTT are required to secure quite a bit of paperwork on you before they can open an account for you. I was told by managers of each bank that they simply could not open a bank account for me without a reference from an existing account holder and a letter from a Priest, Police Captain or Justice of the Peace in Jamaica who has known me for more than 6 months. After talking with each bank it seemed I would have to cheat the system and bribe someone to vouch for me but then I went into the Jamaica National Builders Society and things changed. As a Builders Society and not a Commercial Bank they have their own rules and within 30 minutes I had not only a bank account but a listing of homes for sale in any Parish I wanted was printed for me to review and in the future it will be easy enough to secure a home loan or financing of some sort for our own slice of heaven here in Jamaica. It’s not a checking account, it;s a savings only with debit card available but thats exactly what I need here in Jamaica and it’s a lot easier then tracking down two references.

Welcome to Jamaica MAX. This blog will offer news and reviews on our Jamaican adventures. The Moya family is moving to Jamaica this summer for a 6 month adventure. We plan to cover as much of the wonderful island of Jamaica as we can during our first extended trip with the goal of returning next year on a permanent visa. We’re going to catalog the adventure here for all to see. Lets see how it goes.

Alfred