Commencement: 1 January 1985
Repealed

LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
REVISED EDITION 1988

CHAPTER 180

VIDEO CASSETTES (TAX ON HIRING)

Act 37 of 1984

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

SECTION
1.	Interpretation
2.	Imposition of the tax
3.	Amount of tax
4.	Payment of tax
5.	Monthly returns
6.	Penalty for late payment
7.	Records
8.	Offences
9.	Tax to be a debt to Government
10.	Regulations

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VIDEO CASSETTES (TAX ON HIRING)

To impose a tax on the hiring of video cassettes.

INTERPRETATION

1.	In this Act unless the context otherwise requires -

"collector" means the person appointed by the Minister as the collector for the purposes of this Act or any person acting under the authority of the collector;

"hire" means to supply a video cassette for gain;

"tax" means the tax imposed by this Act on the hiring of video cassettes;

"video cassettes" means any recorded video cassette incorporating magnetic tape, designed for use with television image and sound recording or reproduction equipment, and shall include any other recorded media designed for the same purpose;

"video tax payer" means a person who hires video cassettes.

IMPOSITION OF THE TAX

2.	There shall be imposed and collected in respect of each hiring of a video cassette a tax at the rate and in the manner herein provided.

AMOUNT OF TAX

3.	The amount of tax shall be VT50 for each day or part thereof of a hiring (or renewal thereof) of a video cassette:

Provided that where a video cassette is hired out for return on the following day such hiring shall be taxed as hiring for one day:

And provided further that where a video cassette is hired out on a Saturday or a public holiday for return on the following Monday or working day (as the case may be) such hiring shall be taxed as a hiring for one day.

PAYMENT OF TAX

4.	(1)	The tax shall be payable monthly to the collector.

(2)	The video tax payer shall pay the amount of tax for which he is liable to the collector on or before the last working day of each month following the month in respect of which hirings of video cassettes were made.

MONTHLY RETURNS

5.	(1)	The video tax payer shall complete or cause to be completed a monthly return in the prescribed form.

(2)	The return shall be lodged or sent to the collector by or on behalf of the video tax payer at the time of payment of the tax.

(3)	The return, which shall be signed by or on behalf of the video tax payer, shall include a record of the number of video cassettes hired out on each day during the period to which the return relates, and the amount of tax due thereon.

PENALTY FOR LATE PAYMENT

6.	Where the taxis not paid when due the video taxpayer shall in addition to the tax due pay a penalty at the rate of 10 per cent of the unpaid tax for each month or part thereof during which the tax remains unpaid.

RECORDS

7.	Every video tax payer shall keep such registers, records and documents in such form and in such manner as the collector may require which shall be produced for inspection by the collector at his request.

OFFENCES

8.	(1)	A person who -

(a)	is knowingly concerned in, or in the taking of steps with a view to, the fraudulent evasion of the tax;

(b)	with intent to deceive produces or furnishes for the purposes of this Act or otherwise uses for such purposes any document that is false in any material particular;

(c)	in furnishing information for the purposes of this Act makes a statement that he knows to be false in a material particular or recklessly makes a statement which is false in a material particular, shall commit an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding VT50,000.

(2)	Any person who fails to comply with sections 4, 5, and 7 or with any lawful request of the collector, shall commit an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding VT20,000 in addition to a fine of VT2,000 for each day during which the offence continues.

TAX TO BE A DEBT TO GOVERNMENT

9.	The amount of any tax and penalty due under this Act shall be a debt due to the Government which shall be paid in priority under any law relating to insolvency.

REGULATIONS

10.	The Minister may by Order make regulations for the better carrying out of the purposes of this Act and may prescribe anything that may be prescribed.

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