MoF: Courier companies had no case

In a statement issued on the weekend, the ministry refuted claims in the electronic media that the decision by six leading courier companies to withdraw their lawsuit over the OPT on Friday may have been influenced by fear of victimisation in the companies obtaining foreign exchange.

“This is a ludicrous suggestion because the persons who purchase goods online do so using their personal credit cards through the commercial banks, and these personal credit cards are not in any way connected to the courier companies.

“Further, the very suggestion that courier companies might be victimised in some way is reprehensible because the Ministry of Finance is not in any way involved in the distribution of foreign exchange to courier companies. Foreign exchange is distributed by the commercial banks,” the ministry said.

The ministry added that the companies withdrew their lawsuit on the strength of the detailed written submissions filed by the Ministry and the Office of the Attorney General in the High Court. “Clearly, the courier companies realised that they had no case with respect to the Government’s legitimate right to vary or impose taxes in order to generate revenue to service the needs of the general population and the country at large,” the statement said.