State exempts VAT on imports

A VAT exemption has been introduced on imports of medical supplies and equipment, says Economy Minister Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum.

While announcing the COVID-19 response budget on Thursday, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said this would ensure the medical sector had specific technical tools to combat COVID-19.

“Hand sanitiser and antibacterial hand wash, vaccinations, hospital beds, scanners and cameras used in medical examination, ethanol for companies already involved in hand sanitiser production, disinfectants, air purifier, medicalgrade boots, hydrogen peroxide, paper bed sheets, thermometers, and other specialised supplies, such as medicaments under Chapter 30 and medical equipment under Chapter 90 of the customs Tariff,” he said.

He said the Customs Tariff Act would also see significant changes in the form of fiscal duty cuts to essential medical supplies.

“Many of these items were already exempt for the public health sector, but now we’re opening the same relief to the private sector as well, ensuring Fijians can keep hygienic and healthy at as low a cost as possible, regardless of where they’re treated or buy their own supplies from.

“So the private sector can import more of these goods and pass these benefits to customers.”

He adds this emergency funding to health, along with these new targeted tax measures, pushes our total COVID-19 Stimulus Package past the billion-dollar mark.