Newsmedianews - Archived direct input headlines

NEWSMEDIANEWS

______________________________Direct Input News Archive______________________________

Airport customs seize donated guitar printable version

23 May 2011: posted by the editor - Ireland

The first FSC-certified guitar to enter Ireland is confiscated by Airport Customs.
A grueling bus and plane trip that took Tom Roche founder of Rhode-based forest conservation organisation Just Forests, to the Martin Guitar Company in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, to collect a donation of a guitar ends in disappointment. On his arrival from New York Mr Roche had the guitar taken from him at Dublin Airport by Customs Officials. Mr Roche has expressed great disappointment at the development as the generous donation by C.F. Martin’s CEO Mr Chris Martin, was to be used by Just Forests to raise funds to develop an education program that would see all musical instruments used in Ireland being made of ‘tonewoods’ from responsibly managed forests worldwide.

According to Mr Roche: “Over eighty of the estimated 200 wood species used to make musical instruments worldwide are on the brink of extinction and bringing this FSC-certified guitar into Ireland was part of our plan to engage the music industry with our education program.”

Martin Guitars have taken their environmental responsibilities seriously by starting to source FSC-certified wood for their musical instruments. Just Forests were awarded the guitar by Martins in recognition of their work on linking our love of music to our dependence on forests for the wood for our beautiful musical instruments-through our Sound of Wood Project.

“Our plan was to invite Bono and The Edge of U-2 fame to endorse this FSC-certified guitar and the significant social, economic and environmental message of hope it has for musicians, musical instrument-makers and indeed all lovers of music”, said Mr Roche.

Michell Carroll, spokeswoman for Customs and Excise said: "Revenue does not comment on the tax affairs of individuals. Travellers arriving in Ireland from a country outside of the European Union are entitled to bring in goods free of duty, the combined value of which does not exceed: €430 in the case of an individual aged 15 years or over and €215 in the case of an individual aged under 15 years/

"Any item which is in excess of a duty free allowance will be examined and may be subject to detention and possible seizure."

Tags: customs, guitars

Back to headlines
comments (0)
recommend

>Local comment

Name: Remember me

E-mail: (optional)

Captcha

Return to full index