Comptroller of Customs Andy Fernelon spoke to the media today about the VAT refund on barrels during the concessionary Christmas period.
Comptroller of the Customs and Excise Tax department Andy Fernelon has called on individuals who imported barrels into the country between January 1-8, 2014 to visit his department to collect a Value Added Tax (VAT) refund which may be owed to them.
This is due to an extension in the annual exception of import duties and VAT on barrel imports for the period December 1-January 31, which was extended to February 15, 2014. However, according to Fernelon this was not reflected in the department’s computation process until January 8, 2014.
Speaking with Saint Lucia News Online (SNO) on Friday, Fernelon explained while his department’s system was programmed to calculate the exemption up until January 31, problems in the system delayed implementation of the VAT exemption in its computation for part of the extended period.
“In relation to the Value Added Tax, it had to go before parliament for a resolution. That resolution when it came out indicated an extension of the period for termination- an extension to the February 15. We were aware of that resolution, however since we configured out system to simultaneously exempt import duties and VAT for the period December 1, 2013 to January 31, 2014 we allowed that regime to continue knowing that we had to make some alterations after January 31 to accommodate the exemptions of VAT,” he said
“We had some issues with programming our systems and we got it resolved albeit within the period of February 1-15. We got it resolved approximately around February 8. So some persons may have been erroneously charged VAT on qualifying goods on that particular concession. However it is our responsibility to return the VAT we collected to those persons,” he said.
Fernelon has asked that anybody who would have paid VAT on qualifying goods under the concession to bring their receipts to the Custom’s Castries or Vieux Fort Offices, adding that, “we will have them fill the refund form, we will take their information, and I can guarantee that the process that refund within a week for those persons.”