Thursday,  July 19, 2011 –  In preparation for the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT), The Ministry of Commerce, Business Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs will be conducting a training program geared towards educating stakeholders of the small business sector on the new tax system. The program will lay the groundwork for small businesses to become VAT compliant by the time VAT takes effect on October 1st 2012.
The VAT training programme is scheduled to take place from July 30th, 2012 to October 4th 2012 and is targeted at local businesses meeting the threshold of  EC180’000.00 in annual taxable revenue. To accommodate the potential attendees of the program the Government of Saint Lucia will host the training in five of the districts on the island. Namely, Gros -Islet, Castries, Dennery, Vieux – Fort and Soufriere.
The Training Venues within the five districts are as follows:

Gros- Islet        – Grost – Islet Secondary School

Castries             – Grammar Learning Institute on Lanse Road
-National ICT Centre

Dennery            – Clendon Mason Secondary School

Vieux-Fort       – Vieux-Fort Secondary Comprehensive School Campus B

Soufriere           – Soufriere Comprehensive Secondary School

Registration for the VAT training commences on July 18th, 2012 at the Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU) within the Ministry of Commerce and continues throughout the duration of the programme.    It should be noted however, that on the dates of July 19th and July 20th , 2012 between the hours of 9:30 am and 3:00pm, there will be a Business Development Officer assigned to  each of the following registration venues to assist the registrants based in the aforementioned 5 districts.

Gros-Islet            – Gros-Islet Community Centre, next to the  Gros-Islet Playing Field

Castries                – Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU) – Ministry of Commerce,
4th floor, Heraldine Rock Building, Castries Waterfront

Dennery               – Mabouya Valley Development Foundation, La Caye Dennery

Vieux-Fort           – Vieux Fort Town Council, Opposite Hobie, Vieux Fort Highway

Soufriere               – Soufriere Town Council, Bridge Street, Soufriere

According to  Officer In Charge of the Small Enterprise Development Unit,  Barbara Innocent Charles it is not required that persons be present for the entire 10 week program.“ We recognise that they are busy people so for only five hours out of their business life, we require them to attend the training at the location that is convenient to them. The registration form clearly identifies those locations and time slots. The five hours of training is further broken down to two and two and a half hour sessions”

The Ministry of Commerce highly encourages all eligible businesses to register early for the VAT Training Programme to ensure that they are adequately prepared and VAT compliant by October 1st.