Duty To Be Stripped Off Selected Fiji Items

November 27, 2009 6:29 a.m. EST

Suva, Fiji (AHN) - The Fiji Government, will from next year, remove import duty from items such as perfumes, cosmetics, after-shave preparations, cameras & camcorders.

Other items which will have duty reduced to zero percent are sunglasses, binoculars, video & electronic games, watches, laptops, IPods, MP3 & MP4 players, and, jewelry.

Prime Minister and Finance minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said while Government expected wholesalers and retailers to offer competitive pricing, the move would further position Fiji as a tourist shopping destination.

Fiji Islands Trade and Investment Bureau chief executive officer Annie Rogers said a drop in duty would encourage more shopping, a further bonus for retailers.

"I think it's a step in the right direction," she said in an interview with AHN.

Further changes to the tariff are as follows:

• -increase fiscal duty on corrugated paper and paper boards from five to 32 per cent;
• -decrease fiscal duty on magnetic and optical media from 32 to five per cent;
• -imposition of import excise duty of 10 per cent on optical media;
• -imposition of import excise duty of 15 per cent non-biodegradable plastic bags; and,
• -imposition of excise duty of five cents per liter on carbonated soft drinks.

Rogers also commended the initiative by Government to extend shop opening hours and liquor trading hours in designated areas in major commercial centers from January 2010.

"The extension of business hours will benefit both tourists and locals as they can shop even more," she said.

"It is also a boost for business owners to be able to operate for a longer period and get more sales,' Rogers said.