OB,
For someone saying that they are building a home in Jamaica, I am a bit confused by your comments.
"Normal activity here in the US, right?" - okay, lets say it was normal in the US at the time. Why would you conclude that this same activity is equally "normal" in a different country? You are comparing the 20th century's last remaining super power with a small, developing island country. Why would anyone expect that every activity be equally "normal" in both countries. There are codes, fashions, cultural, driving, cooking, musical, sporting, etc differences between Jamaica and the USA. Why jump to the conclusion the Jamaican government is ripping off its own people just because you notice there is a difference in a certain activity in Jamaica than the US? Isnt it possible that maybe you just didnt know the reason for the difference?
I did find it interesting that you did note that there was no duty at all on the photos. Hmmm, could this possibly be more "normal activity" in Jamaica at the time than an electronic picture frame was back when this "sour experience" occurred?
Which brings me to my next thought, when exactly did this take place. You claim you bought the 2gig SDs for us$7 a piece. You claim Jamaica charges triple the amount and state that this fact is one of the things keeping Jamaica a country in poverty. Yesterday at MegaMart I priced the 2gig SD cards at ja$695 - or around us$8.
You say the Jamaican government is ripping of their own people by "making Jamaicans pay triple the world market price when they want to take pictures on SD-chips" - and yet Jamaicans pay us$8 for something you paid us$7. How is this possibly triple the world market price?
But again, if this is because the "sour experience" happened years ago, maybe the SD cards that you felt were so normal in the US at the time were considered a luxury item in Jamaica at that time. Perhaps most Jamaicans had never seen or even heard of an electronic picture frame back at that time. And perhaps the very few Jamaicans that this policy would effect at the time would be considering them luxury items as well.
The Jamaican government has let you know that you can receive the duty list from them. I am sure that information will be online sometime in the future, but I am also sure that it is not one of their main priorities. Nothing online at present would be definitive and would be subject to change. Even the US government website states that their "interactive data base that will enable you to get an approximate idea of the duty rate for a particular product. Please be aware that the duty rate you request is only as good as the information you provide. The actual duty rate of the item you import may not be what you think it should be as a result of your research. CBP makes the final determination of what the correct rate of duty is, not the importer."
You say that you dont want to pay for checked bags and want to bring just a carry on. Well, why dont you? The sunblock, shampoo and bugsprays you mention are all available here. Stop at MegaMart after leaving the airport. Lisa and I were just there last night. We buy all our needs right here in Jamaica and do not depend on getting things "cheaper" in the USA to be able to survive. You can do the same. And you would be helping the local economy grow...
If you are wanting to buy just the US brands you are used to in Jamaica, of course you may find those products more expensive. The US does not export their products cheaply and wants to maintain a high standard for their export products. With these items as well as the luxury items such as the big screen TV, lets look at this another way. Maybe you should heed your own advice and forego those purchases until the time comes that you feel that you can afford it here and not break the law trying to sneak those products in by providing less than truthful information to the Customs Agents. For most items you will need, you can purchase the locally made or Caricom brands instead and they are much less expensive. There are some great products that you may not be aware of that are readily available here. As for the luxury items, they will become lower in price as the economy grows.
