The ASG Shipyard paid $2,000 in excise taxes last week to have a piece of equipment—it needed to carry out repairs to waters tanks for the American Samoa Power Authority—released by Customs.
The equipment was part of a shipment that arrived two weeks ago and was held up by Customs until the shipyard paid $30,000 in excise taxes.
The CEO of the shipyard, Carlos Sanchez, maintains that the shipyard had never previously been subjected to excise tax on imports, calling this a change in policy by the current administration.
In protest, Sanchez and the more than 40 employees of the shipyard staged a more than two-hour “sit-in” in front of the EOB last Tuesday in an attempt to pressure the Treasurer into releasing the shipment. However, Treasurer Donald Kruse told KVZK-TV News that only the Tax Exemption Board—not the Treasurer—can grant tax-exempt status.
The Tax Exemption Board met last Friday.
Sanchez, who traveled off-island last Thursday, said that the shipyard paid $2,000 to have the necessary equipment released so they can begin repairs on ASPA’s water tanks. As of Monday morning, he said he had not been informed of any decision by the Tax Exemption Board.
