Tuesday Ronald Grey Décembre, the Secretary of State for Finance, Jean Jorel Janvier the General Director of Customs (AGD) and Miradin Morlan, Director General of the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI) took stock at a press conference of tax and customs measures for the financial year 2017-2018 which began on 1 October.

The Secretary of State Décembre, aid that the fiscal measures in the 2017-2018 Budget were aimed at "improving the conditions of the most disadvantaged strata". As an example, "a measure in favor of the middle classes concerns the acquisition of" property, or the rental of a public domain. The new budget measures will allow citizens occupying the land of the State to comply."

He also mentioned that, through the new budget, the Government had adjusted the scale of the rental tax, which poses a problem of application, stressing that it is up to the town halls to identify the taxable houses. The idea was clarified "is to make people understand the need to pay their taxes."

As an incentive, he announced that the State intended to institute a tax lottery with 3 national prizes and 10 departmental prizes without further details...

Concerning the passports, Miradin Morlan reminded that to limit the gatherings in front of the offices the period of validity had been increased to 10 years, emphasizing that the amount claimed by the State for the passport of 10 years (6,000 Gourdes instead of 1,500 Gdes for 5 years) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22241-haiti-news-zapping.html

Jean Jorel Janvier of the AGD said the government had implemented measures to protect local industry and had focused on renewable energy by removing taxes on solar panels and other materials related to green energy. He recalled that since 2 October, the DGI was in the process of applying the Law in relation to the new measures, practicing tax fairness. Noting that "the statutes have not been changed but that the rates have been adjusted" and that it is the Act that provides for provisions that must be applied.

Download full budget details 2017-2018 (202 pages): https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/17_18_projet_de_loi_de_finances.pdf

Note that although still appearing in the official document of the Ministry of Finance the flat-rate tax of 10,000 gourdes on the diaspora contained in Article 17 was abolished by Parliament

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22212-haiti-flash-full-details-of-the-2017-2018-budget-revenue-and-expenditure.html

HL/ HaitiLibre