The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Landscaping and construction businesses feature prominently among the 178 new Business Licence applications submitted to the Department of Inland Revenue.

Gaynell Rolle, the Department's acting director, said: "We have seen an increase in business license applications for new businesses. To date we have 178 new applications for new business license requests, mainly in the landscaping and construction industry. Hopefully that shows a sign that persons are as optimistic as we are about the economy going into a rebound."

Landscaping and maintenance businesses are now included among "essential serves", with the prime minister granting permission on Sunday for the sector be open from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Fridays. The fact this sector is now able to work a full week is likely to have attracted some applications.

Ms Rolle added: "We had a number of concerns from our media chat of persons and businesses, in particular some of our attorneys, on being able to have documents stamped for VAT stamping. That's the conveyances.

"We would like to convey that those services have resumed as of last week Thursday. Persons are asked to come to the department, and they are going to drop those documents off. We will be able to process those documents within a two to three-day work period and get those documents back to them."