The Minister for Finance and Treasury, Hon. Gordon Darcy Lilo, has directed the Customs and Excise Division to immediately apply a 15 per cent export duty on alluvial and gold concentrates.
In a Ministerial Directive issued today to the Comptroller of Customs and Excise, Hon. Lilo instructed the Division to ensure strict compliance with and administration of the Harmonised System (HS) 2022 tariff rates.
“I write to direct your office to comply with and strictly apply the Harmonised System (HS) 2022 tariff rates in accordance with international classification standards and the Customs and Excise Act and its associated regulations,” Hon. Lilo stated.
The HS2022 framework provides updated tariff schedules that ensure consistency with global trade practices and compliance with World Customs Organisation (WCO) requirements.
Hon. Lilo said Customs officers must apply these rates uniformly across all import and export transactions to safeguard Government revenue, enhance transparency, and facilitate trade.
The Directive confirms that the 15 per cent export duty on alluvial and gold concentrates under HS2022 will apply with immediate effect. The Ministerial Directive also supersedes any previous directives issued on the export of alluvial and gold concentrates.
Furthermore, the Finance Minister directed that since the gazetting of HS2022, any exports of alluvial and gold concentrates made thereafter should have been paid at the rates provided in the schedule.
Accordingly, Hon. Lilo further directed Customs and Excise to retrospectively recover the revenue from the date of gazetting of HS2022.
The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will work closely with the Customs and Excise Division to ensure full implementation and compliance.
