Bill Watch 52/2019 [Update on
Statutory Instruments: Part 1] 16 October 2019
BILL WATCH 52/2019
[16th October 2019]
Update on Government Gazettes and Statutory Instruments
Part 1
The purpose of this bulletin and another to follow soon is to provide, in two
Parts, an update on Government Gazettes and statutory instruments from 1st
August to date which have not been noted previously in our bulletins. Please
note that a searchable numerical list of all statutory instruments of 2019 from
1st January up to and including 30th September is available on the Veritas
website [link to list].
Statutory Instruments to Implement Supplementary Budget
We start with a group of statutory instruments implementing measures in the
Supplementary Budget of 1st August which the Minister of Finance decided
could be enacted into law by statutory instrument rather than having to wait for
the Finance (No. 2) Bill to be approved by Parliament and gazetted as the
Finance (No. 2) Act on 21st August.
Excise tax on liquor and fuels SIs 160 and 161 below were published in a
Government Gazette Extraordinary dated 1st August, released by the
Government Printer as the Minister ended his Supplementary Budget
presentation to the National Assembly.
SI 160/2019 [link] sets out the new rates of excise duty on liquor, effective on
and after 2nd August 2019.
SI 161/2019 [link] sets out the new rates of excise duty on petrol, diesel and
kerosene. The SI also contains provision allowing companies with free funds to
import these fuel entirely for use in their production process and pay the duty in
foreign funds; the same facility will be open to designated fuel stations
authorised to sell fuel in foreign currency.
Customs duty rebate for Electrical Manufacturers
SI 167/2019 [link], gazetted on 9th August, is the eighth amendment to SI
378/2019, which is the basis for this rebate. It expands Part D of the list of
items qualifying for the rebate [items for the manufacture of sound amplifiers
and speaker systems].
It also obliges manufacturers benefiting from the rebate to submit an annual
report to the Minister showing incremental employment levels achieved,
capacity utilisation levels, value of new investments, growth in output, R & D
initiatives; the report on 2019 must be submitted by end of January 2020, and
so on for subsequent years. Failure to report will be penalised by withdrawal of
the rebate and liability to pay the rebated duty for the year in question. The new
fees were effective from 9th August.
Foreign currency dutiable goods: relief for specified manufacturers
SI 170/2019 [link] gazetted on 9th August – with effect from 9th August –
provides for an exemption from the obligation to pay duty in foreign currency, to