Briceño Administration Suspends GST for Holiday Shopping Days

It was announced on Open Your Eyes this morning the government’s intent to designate two weekends in December as GST-free.
Henry Usher, Minister of Public Service, Constitutional and Political Reform, and Michelle Longsworth, Director General at the Belize Tax Service, announced that certain items will be tax-free on specific days this December.

“It’s the season of giving, and it’s about giving back,” said Longsworth. She added, “We are now announcing that we will have GST tax-free days in December. This coming weekend, which is the 14th and 15th, Saturday and Sunday, and next weekend, the 21st and the 22nd. Weekends that are high spending in this month, these days will be GST free.”

Longsworth advises citizens to “ask for the receipts” to verify that the tax-free offer is being applied at the register. She added that this will take effect across Belize.

“In short, it’s local retail immediate and final sales, sales that you will pay for and take home with you,” Longsworth said. “The entire month of December, not only these GST tax-free days, from today you go out and buy your imported turkey and imported ham; those are tax free,” Longsworth added.

“This is a targeted initiative… a targeted relief efforts for the consumers, for the Belizean citizens,” Usher said.
Certain products will not be included in the tax exemption, such as cigarettes, alcohol, fuel, firearms, and vehicles.

This initiative is valid from December 9 through to the 31st.