CUSTOMS (AMENDMENT) BILL

Certificate of Urgency signed by the President in respect of the Bill, laid upon the Table by the Minister for Finance.

The Minister for Finance (Mr Hon Sui Sen): Mr Govindasamy, Sir, I beg to introduce a Bill intituled "An Act to amend the Customs Act (Chapter 133 of the 1970 Revised Edition)".

Bill read the First time.

Printed copies of the Bill distributed to Members.

Second Reading

Mr Hon Sui Sen: Mr Govindasamy, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Sir, under section 17 of the Customs Act a special tax is levied on diesel-engine vehicles operating in the Republic. There have been several instances in the past where owners of diesel-engine vehicles have failed to pay their taxes promptly and have allowed such taxes to fall into arrears.

Sir, the object of the present Bill is to empower the Registrar of Vehicles to recover arrears of the special tax payable on diesel-engine vehicles by the seizure and sale of such vehicles. This amendment is required because, as the law now stands, only goods of a perishable nature or any animal or bird seized under the provisions of the Customs Act may be sold forthwith and the proceeds of the sale held to abide the result of any claim.

In addition, the present amendment also provides that the proceeds from the disposal of any seized vehicle may be used to offset against any licence fees and other taxes due and owing under any other written law in respect of the seized vehicle, and the balance thereof, if any, will be refunded to the owner.

Sir, the amendment also provides that where the vehicle is a public service vehicle, the Registrar of Vehicles may use, or permit any other persons to use, the vehicle for the purpose of maintaining an essential public transport service, upon such terms and conditions as the Registrar may determine until such time as the vehicle can be sold. This provision is necessary to ensure minimum disruption to the public transport system should any difficulty arise which may result in the delay of the sale of the vehicle.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Hon Sui Sen].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.