BILL NO. 13 OF 2006
A BILL
FOR AN ACT TO AMEND THE VALUE ADDED TAX DECREE
ENACTED by the Parliament of the Fiji Islands:
Short title, etc
1. This Act may be cited as the Value Added Tax Decree (Diplomatic Missions Amendment) Act 2006 and comes into force on 1st October 2006.
Section 70A inserted
2. The Value Added Tax Decree 1991 is amended by adding after section 70 the following section:
"VAT refund for construction of premises for diplomatic mission
70A. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Decree, a Diplomatic Mission (as defined in the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations) is entitled for Value Added Tax refund in respect of the initial costs of newly constructed premises of its Mission in Fiji.
(2) The entitlement under subsection (1) does not extend to:
(a) to any other premises except for the premises to be used for the professional diplomatic purposes of Diplomatic Missions;
(b) costs of extensions to, improvements, enlargements or repairs of any existing premises to be used for its missions; or
(c) any extensions to, improvements of or enlargements of premises to which the entitlement was provided under subsection (1).".
Attorney-Generals Chambers
Suvavou House
Suva
September 2006
VALUE ADDED TAX (DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS) ACT 2006
EXPLANATORY NOTE
[This Note is not part of the Act and is only intended to give its general effect and implications]
1.0 BACKGROUND
1.1 This Bill gives effect to the refunding of VAT paid on the construction of a Embassy building.
2.0 CLAUSES
Clause 1 confers a short title. The amendments are to come into force on 1st October 2006.
Clause 2 inserts a new section 70A to permit Diplomatic Missions to claim deductions for costs of construction of new premises to be used for their professional diplomatic purposes.
3.0 RESPONSIBILITY
3.1 This Bill comes under the responsibility of the Minister for Finance & National Planning.
Q. B. BALE
Attorney-General and
Minister for Justice