THE Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Premila Kumar has announced that from January 1, 2020 business owners need only two requirements to obtain a business licence.
This includes a business registration certificate and a TIN number Ms Kumar said.
“ We are simply saying that there are only two requirements if you want to obtain a business licence , one you need to get a business registration certificate,” she said.
“Once you get your business registration certificate it captures everything it so you don’t have to reproduce all these requirements again to the municipal councils.”
She said before the eight requirements would hinder the start-up of business since it would usually take 40-days for a business license to be issued.
“Today’s reform is about 13 municipal councils who will be using the same form and requirements nothing changes from one municipality to another and they will deliver the issuance of business licences in the same manner so that’s a major reform.”
“Now it will only take 48-hours for it to be issued.”
She said high-risk business including food-handling, hazardous chemical handling or the selling of CD’s and DVD’s a business license will be issued with a disclaimer”
“The disclaimer will state that you can only start your business provided you meet these requirements, for example if you want a food business you would need health license.”
Ms Kumar said for start-up businesses they could apply for a business license and operate immediately after they received their licenses.
“So whether is a start-up or renewal of business what we are saying is that if the premises where the business will operate or is operating in you don’t require NFA checks because nothing has really changed.”
“If the number of employees has not changed again we don’t need OHS checks.”
But if these three changes then the businesses must inform all those agencies
