MOTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION INCLUDE ZERO-RATED VAT ON BUILDING MATERIALS, PHOTOVOLTAICS, AND FEMALE SANITARY PRODUCTS.

A Sitting of the Senate is scheduled for Thursday, July 13th, 2023 with Papers to be laid by the Honourable Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information and Leader of Government Business.

The Motion for consideration is as follows: BE IT RESOLVED that Parliament by affirmative resolution approves the draft Value Added Tax (Amendment of Schedules 1 and 3) Order which amends Schedule 1 and Schedule 3 of the Act to include —

(a) in the case of Schedule 1, as zero-rated goods —

(i) for a period of two years commencing from the 2nd day of August, 2023 and ending on the 1st day of August, 2025 a supply of goods under the following Customs Tariff Headings—

• (A) 44.07 to 44.12 Lumber: all articles (inclusive) and their related subheadings;
• (B) 25.23 Cement: specified articles and related sub-headings;
• (C) 72.00 to 72.09, Galvanize; 73.00 to 73.08, 73.12 to 73.18, 76.00 to 76.10, 76.16 and related sub-headings
• (D) 73.06 to 73.14, Steel: all articles; 72.14 and related sub-headings and 72.08 and related sub-headings
• (E) 44.11 to 44.18 Plywood: all articles; 44.20 to 44.21
• (F) 96.19 Sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins and similar articles, of any materials

(ii) for a period of two years commencing from the 2nd day of August, 2023 and ending on the 1st day of August, 2025, a supply of components of photovoltaic systems intended solely for harnessing solar power under the following Customs Tariff Headings —

• (A) 8502.39 Complete system;
• (B) 8541.40 Solar panels;
• (C) 8504.40 Charge controllers and inverters;
• (D) 8536.70 MC 4 connectors;
• (E) 7610.9090 Solar panel mounts;
• (F) 8536.50 Cable isolator switches
• (G) 8537.10 Combiner boxes
• (H) 8544.6010 Direct current (DC)/ alternative current (AC) cables
• (I) 8507.80, 8507.60 Deep cycle batteries;
• (J) 8536.90 Battery clamps;
• (K) 9032.8900 Control devices, other DC/AC components;
• (L) 8537.1000 Combiners;
• (M) 8536.9000 Junction boxes;
• (N) 8536.5000 Isolators;
• (O) 8536.3000 Protective devices, communication devices;
• (P) 8471.9000 Dataloggers;
• (Q) 9032.8900 Control components,
• (R) 8517.6900 Communication cabling, ethernet switches;

(iii) for a period of two years commencing from the 2nd day of August, 2023 and ending on the 1st day of August, 2025, a supply of the installation service for photovoltaic systems;

(b) in the case of Schedule 3, as an exempt import —

(i) for a period of two years commencing from the 2nd day of August, 2023 and ending on the 1st day of August, 2025, the purchase or lease of an aircraft for local and regional travel,

(ii) the import of vehicles, building and construction materials, machinery, plant and equipment by approved contractors, sub-contractors and consultants for the Caribbean Regional Air transport Connectivity Project,

(iii) vehicles, building and construction materials, machinery, plant and equipment by approved contractors, subcontractors and consultants for the St. Jude Hospital Reconstruction Project, including, medical equipment and supplies.

The following Bills are down for consideration:

1. Value Added Tax (Amendment)
2. Health and Citizen Security Levy.

Thursday’s Sitting is scheduled to commence at 10 a.m.