Dominica Manufacturers Association calls for a waiver of VAT

Severin McKenzie speaking to reporters
Former President of the Dominica Manufacturers Association (DMA), Severin McKenzie, has called on the government to waive the Value Added Tax (VAT) on raw materials and inputs.
McKenzie who spoke to Dominica News Online (DNO) during an interview recently said this has been the association’s cry for many years.
“With regards to the budget the government made some concessions for the manufacturing sector, in terms of waving or eliminating the import duty on packaging and labeling material and on equipment,” Mckenzie said. “However, our main request has been over the years for government to waive the VAT, Value Added Tax on raw materials and inputs.”
According to him, this is where the real burden is.
“So the government waving the VAT on packaging and labelling material and equipment doesn’t really cut it,” he maintained.
He said the DMA’s argument is that if the VAT is waived at the port on raw materials, then the VAT could actually be implemented at the point of sale.
“So the government is not losing…,”McKenzie stated.
Meantime, McKenzie said he is satisfied with the contribution he has made in the manufacturing sector over the last 10 years and after 5 years of being the president, he is saying goodbye to that position.

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8 Comments

  1. Dalit
    September 6, 2020

    This man cannot run a rum shop.
    Your business failed. You failed. Noone is to blame but you.

    Instead you go into government must change mode and when that fails you go back to the same govt telling them what they must do to rescue you.

    Deal with this is a business situation only.

    Typical mendicant professional who then turns around and calls poor people getting needed help, MENDICANCY.

  2. September 5, 2020

    Joseph, remember that that D-day of 2017 failed, because PM Skerrit was well alerted and the police adhered to his orders, by the Great I AM.

    The same will be this time, because those planners are acting on fear–as usual, of which there can be no victory.

    They can make as much demands as they desire, but they will never come through–for they are nothing compared to the Mandate who stands behind PM Skerrit, which they cannot uphold, because His Power and Authority, is divine and pure.

    In other words, tel those foolish people I said to stand aback and let God do His work for His people of Dominica–through the man He has chosen to do so–this man is Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and his governing body–there is no other.

    Tell them to go ahead and plan their D-day; for they are only making a grand mistake, because they are planning against themselves. How foolish!

    • Joseph John
      September 7, 2020

      Liz, that is all they can do. The also like to try to assume authority. How can you assume authority over a government which has an overwhelming majority in the House of Assembly of 18 to 0. Only unreasonable and foolish people act like this.
      Liz, I am no prophet or evangelical but I don’t think wickedness, fear, shame and guilt come from our Lord and God Jesus. Those are the main weapons of the opposition forces.

  3. Ibo France
    September 4, 2020

    It’s sad. The Dominican economy has been warded at Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the main hospital for well over a decade. Under Skerrit’s direction, agriculture, manufacturing, in fact, all sectors of the economy have been seriously wounded by the gross incompetence of a regime that has long lost its way.

    Where leadership is wanting, suffering comes knocking. Many businesses have closed their doors for good giving rise to unprecedented pain, hardship and anxiety.

  4. Joseph John
    September 3, 2020

    Does Mc knows anything about pioneer status and other like incentives ? Does he know about import substitution ? I wonder.
    Is there something going on. Suddenly all kinds of demands are being made. All kinds of pressure groups are being formed. All type of assembly are being done like a Normandy invasion.
    Are opposition forces going to have an other D-Day like February 17, 2017 to ask the DLP to leave.

    • Afflicted
      September 5, 2020

      What you been smoking, can’t you see this is a no-brainer?

    • Joseph John
      September 6, 2020

      Did someone whisper that this is gang banging season and all the gangs are coming out of the woodwork like termites ?
      Are those gang bangers practicing their “Skerrit must go, we want change” chant.

    • Just asking
      September 7, 2020

      Isn’t pioneer status and other like incentives for friends and contributors that drive straight thru the port gates and clear their containers, or is it widely known? Just asking, for a friend.

      Maybe vat relief across the board for mfgrs would be a better approach, I don’t know either. :-x

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