Ardwell Irion.
PHILIPSBURG--The coronavirus disease COVID-19 is affecting the delivery of the 2020 number plates which are coming from China, Finance Minister Ardwell Irion said on Wednesday.
Irion, who indicated that the original contractor who won the bid for the plates had pulled out of the project, said the issue now being faced was the effects of coronavirus on the opening of companies in China.
“Currently we are facing issues with delivery, pertaining to the company in China that is not allowed to be open due to the coronavirus. Worldwide companies and countries are being affected and pressured by the non-delivery of products due to coronavirus and [with – Ed.] companies not being allowed to be open we are also facing that situation at the moment,” the minister said in response to a question from The Daily Herald during the Council of Ministers press briefing.
As the 2020 number plates have not yet arrived in the country, motorists who have paid this year’s motor vehicle tax are allowed to use their current number plates without repercussion until the new plates become available.
The deadline for the payment of motor vehicle (road) tax has been extended to Friday, March 13, almost two weeks after the February 28 deadline as stipulated by law.
Motorists have a number of options to pay their 2020 vehicle tax. Payments can be made at the Receiver’s Office in the government building in Philipsburg or at the Public Service Center (PSC) in Simpson Bay. Payments can be made in cash, by cheque or by Maestro bank card.
Payments can also be made via the bank by either using the bank’s online payment system or visiting the bank and depositing the funds into the appropriate account. At RBC Royal Bank payments can be made into government’s guilder account: 8200000005425048 or the US dollar account: 8200000403930461. At the Windward Islands Bank (WIB), payments can be made to the guilder account 324800-03 or US dollar account 324800-05.
Motorists who have paid their 2020 vehicle tax via the bank are urged to visit the Receiver’s Office in the government building in Philipsburg or the Public Service Center in Simpson Bay three working days after making payment. They should go to the kiosk and select “Receivers” followed by “online payment” then proceed to window “A” and present their proof of payment along with the original valid insurance, valid inspection of the vehicle and their 2019 motor vehicle tax payment receipt to obtain the 2020 receipt. This receipt should be kept in the vehicle as evidence of payment in the event of being asked by the Police to produce this. For recently purchased vehicles, “the bill of sale” is required.
The plates cost NAf. 12.50 for all types of vehicles and NAf. 7.50 for motorbikes. Motorists with number plates M, P, SXM, MR (ministers) and PAR (Parliament) will pay NAf. 275 in motor vehicle tax for gasoline-operated vehicles and NAf. 750 for diesel-fuel-operated ones. Motorists with R plates will pay NAf. 300 for gasoline-operated vehicles and NAf. 750 for diesel-fuel-operated vehicles. Taxis, BUS, G (group) and T (tour buses with 35 passengers or less) pay NAf. 275 for gasoline-operated vehicles and NAf. 550 for diesel-fuel-operated vehicles.
Vehicles with V and Z plates that weigh more than 3,500 kilograms (kg) will pay NAf. 1,250 for gasoline- or diesel-fuel-operated vehicles. Vehicles with V plates that weigh less than 3,500kg will pay NAf. 275 for gasoline-operated vehicles and NAf. 750 for diesel-fuel-operated vehicles. Persons with MF (motorbike) plates will pay NAf. 200 and those with MF (mopeds) will pay NAf. 50 in motor vehicle tax.
