Act No. 14 of 1997
FAMILY ISLANDS DEVELOPMENT ENCOURAGEMENT |
ARRANGEMENT OF
SECTIONS |
SECTION |
Short title.
|
Interpretation.
|
Exemption from customs duty and stamp duty.
|
Land clearing machinery exemption from customs
duties.
|
Exemption from customs duty.
|
Grant of powers to Governor general.
|
Termination of duty.
|
Penalty for false declaration.
|
Penalty for wrongful application of materials.
|
Regulations.
|
FIRST SCHEDULE. |
SECOND SCHEDULE. |
An Act to
grant certain import concessions in respect of certain Family Islands for
encouraging development. | 14 of 1997
S.I. 79/1997
1 of 1998
28 of 1999
28 of 2000 |
[Assent 30th June, 1997]
[Commencement 1st July, 1997] |
1. This Act may be cited as the Family Islands
Development Encouragement Act, 1997. | Short title. |
2. In this Act- | Interpretation. |
"building
materials" means plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and construction
materials of all kinds necessary- |
(a) for the
construction of a new building so that the same is complete and ready for
occupancy; or |
(b) for the
rehabilitation, remodelling or extension of a new or existing building. |
"Minister"
means the Minister of Finance. |
3. (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in
the Tariff
Act, 1996 and the
Stamp Act, building materials imported in those Family Islands mentioned in the
First Schedule for use in construction in those islands shall be exempt from
customs duty and stamp duty. | Exemption from customs duty and stamp duty. |
(2) The exemption
mentioned in subsection (1) shall be for a period of three years from the date
of commencement of this Act and ending on 30th June, 2000. |
4. (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
theTariff
Act, 1996, machinery used for clearing land in those Family Islands referred to
in the First and Second Schedules shall be exempted from custom duties. | Land clearing machinery exemption from customs duties. |
(2)
The exemption referred to in subsection (1) shall be for a period oftwo years and
six months and shall be deemed to have commenced on the 1st January 1999 and
ending on the 30th June,2002. |
(3) The land
clearing machinery referred to in subsection (1) shall, if removed to any other
part of The Bahamas be liable to customs duties. |
5. (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
the
Tariff Act, 1996 building materials imported in those Family Islands mentioned
in the
Second Schedule for use in construction in those islands shall be exempt from
customs duty. | Exemption from customs duty. |
(2)
The exemption mentioned in subsection (1) shall be for a period offive
years from date of the commencement of this Act and ending on 30th June,2002. |
6. The Governor-General may by order add to the
Second Schedule other islands or parts thereof and such islands or parts
thereof shall be exempted from the payment of customs duty for a period of two
years from the date of the order. | Grant of powers to Governor general. |
7. (1) At the end of the three year or two year
period, as the case may be, any building materials in the possession of a
supplier of building materials that has been imported duty free shall become
subject to duty. | Termination of duty. |
(2) Every supplier
of building materials who contravenes the provisions of this section by
continuing to supply exempted goods after such period shall be liable on
summary conviction to a fine of two thousand five hundred dollars or to
imprisonment for one year or to both, and the goods sold may be seized and
proceeded against in the same manner as goods liable to forfeiture under the Customs
Management Act. |
8. Every person knowingly making a false
declaration for the purpose of obtaining a benefit pursuant to the provisions
of this Act is guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on summary conviction,
to a fine of two thousand five hundred dollars, or to imprisonment for one year,
or to both such fine and imprisonment. | Penalty for false declaration. |
9. Any person applying any building materials
pursuant to the provisions of this Act for any purpose other than for the
purpose specified in this Act is guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on
summary conviction, to a fine of two thousand five hundred dollars, or to
imprisonment for one year, or to both such fine and imprisonment. | Penalty for wrongful application of materials. |
10. The Minister may make regulations for the
manner in which application for exemption of duty may be made and the manner in
which such duty may be remitted to the applicant. | Regulations. |
FIRST SCHEDULE (Section 3) |
Mayaguana
Acklins
Crooked Island
Long Cay
Ragged Island and Cays
Rum Cay
Cat Island
Andros |
SECOND SCHEDULE (Section 4) |
Inagua
San Salvador
Long Island
Exuma and Exuma Cays
Andros |