The Ministry of Health is extending the period of tobacco registration to next year.
This is in response to the high demand of applicants from the interior and maritime areas.
Interested applicants are required to turn up to any Rural Local Authority Office around the country or to the TCU offices [in Suva, Labasa, Sigatoka and Lautoka] with the following documents:
1. A TIN letter from FRCA – The name on the TIN letter has to belong to the applicant and no one else unless of course if it belongs to a company that owns the business;
2. A valid business licence – This can be obtained from the municipal council [if they live in a residential area controlled by the municipal council] or the District Officer’s office [if they live in villages, rural areas [whether in the hinterlands of the major islands or maritime zones] or squatter settlements; and
3. A letter from the municipal council – This only applies to Suki vendors who operate their business from premises controlled by the municipal council.
Suki vendors that do not operate from premises owned by the municipal council, are required to get their business licence from [i] the municipal council [if they live in an area controlled by the municipal council], or [ii] the District Officer’s office.
The Registration Process
Once an application is lodged, it will take the processing team three weeks to process it and a Certificate of Registration will only be provided to those that furnish the support documents highlighted above.
This certificate is to be displayed in a clear and conspicuous location within the business premises to be visible to customers and the ministry’s inspection team when they do their rounds.
Those applicants that do not provide the necessary documents will have their applications returned to them so that they can furnish what is required.
Penalty for non-registration
At the end of the process, the Ministry of Health will be sending out its officers to inspect all business premises and residences believed to be selling tobacco products. Anyone found without a registration certificate will be dealt with on the spot – there is a $5000 fine for this type of offence.
Misconceptions about the process
Some applicants have in turn tried to get registered thinking that registration will validate their ambitions to continue selling single cigarette rolls.
The Health Ministry would like to point out that the sale of single cigarette rolls is prohibited under Section 16 of the Tobacco Control Decree 63/2010 and there’s a $1000 fine associated with it.
The closing date for registration will be confirmed in due time.