Consumer Affairs

Administration Foreign Policy Foreign Trade Consumer Affairs

Minister

Hon. Frederick Stephenson

Welcome

Welcome to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Consumer Affairs. The Ministry is responsible for coordinating Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' relations with foreign governments, as well as regional and international organizations. It seeks to create opportunities for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the field of foreign trade through the negotiation and monitoring of the relevant agreements and treaties.

: Published: 11 December 2014

LICENCE APPROVALS

A trader must obtain Licence Approvals for regulated goods before he/she can import or export these goods. The Licence Approval gives the trader the right to import or export goods for a certain period of time and/or for a certain quota.

PERMIT APPROVALS

A trader must obtain Permit Approvals before he/she can import or export certain classes of goods. The application must be made before the import or export of the good(s).

The same Permit or Licence can be used for multiple shipments as long as it is still valid and the approved quota is not exceeded.

Traders Licence

A trader’s licence is a licence that allows traders to conduct trade legally. It is paid annually and expires on the 31st of December each year irrespective of the month it was issued. The payment of a trader’s licence depends on the value of the present stock value. The breakdown is as follows:

Stock valued at less than $1,000.00                             -    $20.00
Stock valued at more than $1,000.00 - $10,000.00        -    $50.00
Stock valued at more than $10,000.00 - $100,000.00   -    $100.00
Stock valued at more than $100,000.00 - $1,000,000.00    -    $250.00
Stock valued at more than $1,000,000.00                            - $1,000.00

A credit voucher will then be issued by a consumer affairs officer based on your present stock value. The credit voucher is paid at the Treasury Department and the treasury receipt is returned to the Department of Trade. Upon receiving the receipt the Department will issue the trader’s licence certificate which must be displayed at all times on the business premises in a conspicuous place, to be seen by a consumer affairs officer upon his or her visit.

Any person who carries on trade without a valid traders licence is guilty of an offence and is liable to:

(a)    A fine of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) or
(b)    The confiscation of his goods on the premises

The Department of Trade is located on the 3rd Floor of the Administrative Centre. The department can be reached via telephone number (784) 4562442/(784)4561111 Ext 315/519 and e-mail: office.trade@gov.vc.

: Published: 11 December 2014

The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Division is the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines central agency for ethical trade practices and the protection of consumers’ interest. The Divisions facilitates the development of commerce through enforcement of trading standards and the protection of consumers by ensuring that goods and services are safe and legal. It also promotes cooperation between the public and private sector, through advocacy initiatives and networking with private sector associations, to increase the competitiveness of businesses in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The division is also mandated to develop a policy framework that takes into account national, regional and global developments, which influence the overall strategy for the development of commerce and industry. In addition, the division is also responsible for the Traders, Import and Export Licensing Regimes, and the administration of Price Control Regime under the Price and Distribution of Goods Act.