Nerissa Golden
Thursday, September 20, 2012
The Montserrat Customs and Revenue Service (MCRS) has released the amended version of the customs tariff for public review and comments.
The new tariff structure, which came into effect in June and saw the elimination of the service tax and the consumption tax and import duties were revised, had several flaws which needed to be corrected. The Honourable Premier Reuben T. Meade said "genuine errors were made which have been corrected" and the new tariffs were approved by Cabinet August 30, 2012.
The amendments include removing consumption tax from products used by the elderly including Depends undergarments and nutritional supplements; sporting goods and exercise equipment rates have been reduced to encourage more people to take up a more physical activity; while taxes on sodas and foreign bottled water have been increased.
"Montserrat boasts the best tasting water in the region and we need to support our local bottling company," he stated on equivocally.
The revised Customs tariff rates will come into effect from 1st October 2012.
Full details of all the tariff changes can now be found on www.customs.gov.ms and www.gov.ms (click on 'Publications'). Copies of the revised rates will also be made available for inspection at points of entry into Montserrat (the Customs offices at the airport and sea port in Little Bay) as well as at the Public Library in Brades. Additionally, copies of the revised tariff will be emailed to all applicants upon request.
Director General of MCRS Frank Ferguson said his department would be happy to accept any questions or queries relating to the new document.
MCRS can be reached through the following points of contact: Email: customsmail@gov.ms; Phone: 491 3816; and Fax: 491 6909.
