There has been a discussion concerning BBO at the border recently, which is a heated and alarming topic, especially since the introduction date is nearing.
Francis Saladin, Vice-president of “Comerciantenan Uni Aruba ” stated that it was not an issue when introduced, because the sales tax was presented as 3%. The impact this would have would not be too intense, with fewer consequences.
Now, however, they have suddenly decided to increase it to 6%, which is where the issue starts, according to Saladin. He started purchasing directly from abroad, as he would have to pay importtaxxes but not bBO. Nevertheless, an item that is purchased here in Aruba, the consumer has to pay for the BBO. Buying from abroad has its disadvantages for the local commerce, who still have to comply with all the financial compromises. The other issue with BBO is that it is easy to evade, as many sell prodicts and do not pay BBO. This is putting a lot of pressure on the Government.
