Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown

Subject: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: Mark Ross
Date: 14 Feb 14 - 04:12 PM

The NY Times printed a piece on the Feds failure to come up with rules for instruments crossing borders. I can't read it because I don't have a subscription and have looked at too many articles online this month.Can any Mudcatter out there cut & paste it here on this thread? I'm going to Canada on a Home Routes house concert tour in 2 weeks and I would like to know what to expect crossing the border.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2014/02/14/arts/ap-us-airlines-musical-instruments.html?smid=fb-share&gwh=3C6C95883B60DB442C532B8F2A8AD393&gwt=pay

Thanks,
Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Feb 14 - 04:15 PM

Mark, write Rik Palieri for a Yank's view of things.

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: Mark Ross
Date: 14 Feb 14 - 05:46 PM

My mistake. The piece in question is about the rules for flying with instruments(someone sent me the copy on Facebook). We're still waiting for the government to decide on the passports for instruments.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Feb 14 - 07:11 PM

This isn't a joke?

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: Mark Ross
Date: 14 Feb 14 - 07:15 PM

No, I'm afraid not.


http://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/magazine/guitar-lover%E2%80%99s-guide-cites-conservation-treaty

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Feb 14 - 07:50 PM

http://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/magazine/guitar-lover%E2%80%99s-guide-cites-conservation-treaty

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Feb 14 - 08:51 PM

Are illegal immigrant instruments liable to get deported? Or could there be an amnesty in the pipeline?

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Feb 14 - 06:33 AM

Is it about ll instruments or just certain types? Harmonicas?

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: Van
Date: 15 Feb 14 - 07:03 AM

Surely the woods etc would have been legally imported?

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Feb 14 - 07:28 PM

How can you prove it? These boyos have been working from a presumption of guilt. The answer might be to get the AFM to certify your instrument if they won't: they might think twice about dumping on an entire industry after the row over Boujemaa Razgui.

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 14 - 08:04 AM

Is it about rare woods or insects?

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 14 - 07:40 PM

The problem started with CITES and ivory, then expanded with the restrictions on the trade of rare woods many existing instruments were made from, and hit a new low at the end of last year with Boujemaa.

For those who may not have heard of him, his instruments were quite unique, he'd made them himself over very many years and he's used them backing a considerable number of top performers from the Boston Camerata to Shakira.

Anyway, he hit unlucky coming back from Morocco just before Christmas, he's put some reed cane in the same bag his pipes were in. He lives in Toronto and his flight came into JFK, where he was to transfer International - Internal. Lo and behold his bag never surfaced, he was told it would be sent on, and next thing he knew the lot had been snatched by TSA who reckoned it was all raw reed (none of it was, the reed was dried) and destroyed the lot without reference to him, his instruments included. End of a career.

The stink has gone around the world, because there's not a wooden instrument couldn't be seized and destroyed on the same Agricultural importation clause they used, up to and including Stradivariuses.

The TSA is denying all responsibility, but in the mean time every instrumentalist in the States is trying to get his instrument logged in such a way as the TSA cannot touch it. They'd do better to contact the bag owner before jumping the gun, of course.

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Feb 14 - 01:41 PM

That was a horrifying episode. I had a look round to find if there have been any further developments, such as an apology. No sign of that.

The most recent Englih language piece about it I found was this, from a Russian news site Moroccan's career in shambles after TSA destroys priceless flutes: 'like they took a part of my body'.

I suppose the lawyers told them not to say sorry in case it comes to court and they want to deny responsibility. Creeps.

Subject: RE: Instrument Passports, Gov't slowdown
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Feb 14 - 06:45 PM

That link doesn't work - gets you to the site but not the page. If you're curious just type Moroccan musician in the search box on the site.