Government rescinds ImportCustoms Duty on Cayman Net News
The Executive Council of the Governmentof the Cayman Islands - on Tuesday, 13 June 2000 - instructedthe Collector of Customs, Mr. Carlon Powery, to allow Cayman NetNews weekly newspaper, to be imported without having to pay CustomsDuty.
The Hon. Financial Secretary, Mr. George McCarthy wrote a Memorandumto the Collector - with a copy to the publisher of Cayman NetNews, Mr. Desmond Seales - informing him of Government's decision.
Mr. McCarthy wrote:
"I refer to your previous correspondence with Mr. DesmondSeales, regarding the payment of duty on the importation of CaymanNet News newspaper.
Please be advised that Executive Council has reviewed this matterand approved a waiver of duty on the importation of the referencednewspaper. Council has further agreed that the import duty whichhas been paid to date be refunded.
The Government also recognizes the ambiguity in the wording ofsection 49.02 of the Customs Tariff Law (1999 Revision) and willbe recommending that this is amended."
On learning of this decision, by the Government, Mr. Seales issuedthe following statement:
"I am grateful that Government has placed us on a level playingfield ... the business of publishing is not new to us ... however,we have learned from past experiences that we must pay attentionto costs ... with a very thin staff, we have been able to produceCayman Net News ... in a format which encourages dialogue amongall the people who live here.
We are encouraged that Government recognises the ambiguity ofthe Customs Tariff Law. I am particularly pleased that Governmenthas taken immediate steps to amend the section of the Law whichallows us to produce a well needed second newspaper for the CaymanIslands without hindrance."
Cayman Net News is a colourful, weekly tabloid newspaper whichis distributed islands-wide every Thursday. It is written, designedand produced in Cayman and sent to Miami for printing on the dayprior to publication.
On Thursday, 1 June and the following week, Cayman New News wassubjected to paying Customs Duty after being exempt for all ofits previous issues, because it is a "newspaper printed overseaswith a predominance of local interest". Other newspapers,including those from the United States, Canada, England, Jamaicaand elsewhere - and a local monthly - which are also printed overseas,are however allowed duty free concession.
A companion electronic format of Cayman Net News is posted onits website under the domain name caymannetnews.com - with frequentupdates of news of the Cayman Islands "as it happens ...when it happens."