Dear Editor,
I write to offer unsolicited advice to the minister of finance, to help save the country some tax revenue.
A general election is constitutionally due by December 2016 and, based on experience, each candidate from both political parties will be given duty concession on motor vehicles imported for campaigning; totalling 126 candidates.
I am proposing that in formulating the import policy for these concessionary vehicles the following be considered:
1. That the present threshold of US$35,000.00 be maintained.
2. The concession should only be valid no later than two weeks prior to the date of the general election, with no extension granted thereafter.
3. These vehicles should only be imported through new-car dealerships.
4. Only new vehicles should be imported.
The foregoing are being proposed as experience has shown that values being declared are below the threshold (CIF) value to avoid the full duty and taxes on the excess transaction value of US$35,000.
Using a new-car dealership to import these vehicles would make for easier verification of the declared value when compared to a used-car dealership, which imports used and new vehicles. There have been instances where only a third of the true value is declared to the Customs agency.
I'm offering these safeguards to help protect the much-needed revenue; over $100 million will be saved.
Concerned Jamaican
Don't let them drive off with Customs money
-->
I write to offer unsolicited advice to the minister of finance, to help save the country some tax revenue.
A general election is constitutionally due by December 2016 and, based on experience, each candidate from both political parties will be given duty concession on motor vehicles imported for campaigning; totalling 126 candidates.
I am proposing that in formulating the import policy for these concessionary vehicles the following be considered:
1. That the present threshold of US$35,000.00 be maintained.
2. The concession should only be valid no later than two weeks prior to the date of the general election, with no extension granted thereafter.
3. These vehicles should only be imported through new-car dealerships.
4. Only new vehicles should be imported.
The foregoing are being proposed as experience has shown that values being declared are below the threshold (CIF) value to avoid the full duty and taxes on the excess transaction value of US$35,000.
Using a new-car dealership to import these vehicles would make for easier verification of the declared value when compared to a used-car dealership, which imports used and new vehicles. There have been instances where only a third of the true value is declared to the Customs agency.
I'm offering these safeguards to help protect the much-needed revenue; over $100 million will be saved.
Concerned Jamaican
Don't let them drive off with Customs money
-->