The Honduran investment promotion office has sent a letter of invitation to entrepreneurs who lost their tax exemptions in Guatemala.
Honduras is looking to attract investment from Guatemala citing two advantages over its competitors: tax incentives on exports and port infrastructure in the Caribbean.
Empresa Portuaria Quetzal has confirmed that there may be interest from private investors in financing the construction of a new pier.
The need to expand the disembarkation pier at Puerto Quetzal is not new. Now the change of government could be an opportunity for this much needed piece of modernization to be realised. Empresa Portuaria Quetzal (EPQ) (EPQ) has confirmed that the investment required ranges between $60 million and $100 million.
An announcement has been made that in 2016 an integrated system will be used to to carry out fiscal, safety and phytosanitary controls in a single revision.
The Tax Authority will be responsible for deciding the date of the launch of the new system, which will integrate phytosanitary controls, customs and security in the container terminal of Puerto Quetzal. It is hoped that an agreement will be reached between all the institutions involved before the end of this year so that the the system can be implemented next year.
The Attorney General's Office has recommended the onerous usufruct contract signed with the Spanish Terminal de Contenedores Quetzal be declared void.
If the Executive Branch does not declare it void, as recommended by the Attorney General's Office (PGN), this entity could "take appropriate action". PGN's argument is based on "... the auditor having exceeded its functions in signing the contract. Prensalibre.com reports that "... the head of the PGN, Maria Eugenia Villagran, said that "the main objective of the intervention is to maintain continuity and efficiency in the service. '"
Port of Quetzal in Guatemala is planning to renovate an auxiliary dock, build a floating dock for cruise ships and bulk carriers and another one in the main dock.
Carlos Lainfiesta, chairman of the board of the Port of Quetzal (EPQ), told Prensalibre.com that "...
Private operators which were previously authorized to operate in the customs area will no longer do so and it will be the Port of Quetzal the responsible for the public role of customs clearing.
The amendments are intended to improve general customs controls and functions after the fraud network that operated from inside of the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT) was dismantled.
Quetzal Port Company is offering a special rate with discounts up to 50% for ships carrying cargo whose origin and destination is Central America.
This project seeks to promote short sea shipping between the ports of Quetzal in Guatemala, Acajutla in El Salvador, Corinth in Nicaragua and Caldera in Costa Rica, and in this way reduce land freight traffic between countries in the region. It is expected that the project will start with th coordination of all sectors involved and carrying out tests.
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