COVID-19 BARREL RELIEF INITIATIVE UPDATE

The government has forfeited more than 4 million dollars in revenue with its ongoing Covid-19 barrel relief initiative.

The social assistance programme has seen thousands of individuals have benefitted from a reduced Revenue Recovery Charge Fee and exemptions on import duties and ABST.

That’s according to Comptroller of Customs Raju Boddu.

Having run for nearly 16 months the initiative has seen more than 19-thousand barrels come through the ports attracting only 700-thousand dollars in charges.

Boddu says, however, some unscrupulous individuals have been importing contraband.

Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne recently announced that the initiative will be discontinued at the end of July, but will be reinstituted in time for the Christmas season.

Meanwhile, Government’s policy of reducing exemptions on duties has helped the department to recoup some revenue during these particularly difficult times.