SRC carries out rebranding exercise |16 August 2023

Ms Barra

•           Urges taxpayers to replace business certificates and logo with new ones

The Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC) is calling on Value Added Tax (VAT) registered businesses to have their current certificates and stickers changed to new ones, in line with the organisation’s rebranding, which took effect in December 2022.

The organisation is as of today, August 16, 2023, starting the VAT rebranding exercise in the Northern, Central, Southern, Eastern regions on Mahé, including the Providence Industrial Estate, and the Praslin/LaDigue region, to facilitate taxpayers to replace their current certificates and stickers with new ones.

SRC officers will be stationed in various regions as of today, from 9am to 2pm, to issue the new certificates and logos.

They will be at the Beau Vallon district administration office today and at the Camion Hall in Victoria on August 18, 2023.

On August 21, 2023, the officers will be stationed at the office of the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC) at Anse Royale and at the ‘Leve Debrouye’ building in Providence, while on August 25, 2023 the officers will be at the Anse Aux Pins district administration office.

The rebranding exercise on Praslin and La Digue will take place on August 28, 2023 at the SRC offices at Grand Anse Praslin at the same time.

In an interview with the press, the director for taxpayer’s education and service delivery, Sheryl Barra, said the exercise in the regions is important because SRC needs to ensure that businesses transacting under VAT also have the latest documents to display at their places of business.

She added that they have decided to decentralise the mode of issuing the certificates and logos to prevent queues and long waits, especially at its main office at Maison Collet, Victoria.

“Given that SRC has phased out the old logo, to ensure their certificates are valid, they have to come forward to replace it with the new one. That is the one they will have to display from now on at their premises. If our agents comes across an old certificate or logo on any premises, they have the power to advise the business to get new ones,” Ms Barra explained.

She noted that taxpayers will have a month extension as from August 28, 2023 to collect their new certificates and logos at the main office in Victoria and at the SRC office at Grand Anse Praslin.

Ms Barra added that businesses should do so in their respective regions within the time allocated, although there are no penalties for those that fail to collect the documents within the deadline.

Ms Barra stated that in addition to the rebranding exercise, SRC is also urging businesses in operations for the past 28 days or prior but have never registered with the organisation, to take the opportunity to come forward and do their necessary VAT registration in the various regions.

She added that those new businesses that fail to comply will be penalised.

It is to be noted that as of April 1, 2023, taxpayers who are engaging in business activities or transactions with the aim of deriving tax income but have failed to register their businesses for VAT purposes, are liable to penalties under the law ranging from one year imprisonment or a fine of R50,000 or both.

“We have made it easier for all parties, and I think they should come forward and do what they have to do, to comply with the regulation in place,” Ms Barra said.  

According to SRC, the logo and certificates have new added features that make it easier to trace business owners and also detect possible fraud.

SRC is also using the rebranding exercise to update its data base with new information about the businesses.

Patrick Joubert