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Thinking of doing business in Micronesia? Tax and Investment Profile for Micron

Thinking of doing business in Micronesia? Tax and Investment Profile for Micronesia 2 Tax and Investment Profile for Micronesia Thinking of doing business in Micronesia? 3 Investment in Micronesia is one of a series of booklets prepared by Deloitte and designed to provide information on a number of subjects important to those contemplating making investments or doing business in Micronesia. This booklet is a general guide to the regulatory and tax aspects of investments or business activities within five distinct jurisdictions of Micronesia. It reflects information available at January 31, 2013. If you are contemplating doing business in Micronesia, you should consult with your investment and tax advisors. Deloitte would be pleased to assist you. For further information, please contact any of our offices, which are listed on the following page of this booklet. Deloitte & Touche LLP January 31, 2013 To our clients and friends 4 Our Partners Daniel S. Fitzgerald Chief Executive Officer/ Managing Partner Audit & ERS Jerold Filush Risk & Reputation Leader Partner Audit & ERS Lee H. Vensel Partner Audit & ERS Michael Johnson Partner Audit & ERS Wei-Li Tung Partner Audit & ERS Joe M. Arnett Partner Tax Services Tax and Investment Profile for Micronesia Thinking of doing business in Micronesia? 5 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands P.O. Box 500308 Saipan, MP 96950-0308 Tel: (670) 322-7337/8 Fax: (670) 322-7340 Federated States of Micronesia P.O. Box 753 Kolonia, Pohnpei Federated States of Micronesia 96941 Tel: (691) 320-2781/5206 Fax: (691) 320-5402 Guam 361 S. Marine Corps Dr. Tamuning, Guam 96913-3911 Tel: (671) 646-3884 Fax: (671) 649-4265/4932 Republic of the Marshall Islands P.O. Box 1288 Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960 Tel: (692) 625-7387 Fax: (692) 625-7388 Republic of Palau P.O. Box 1016 Koror, Republic of Palau 96940 Tel: (680) 488-2705 Fax: (680) 488-3391 Contact us 6 The islands of Micronesia lie scattered across the Western Pacific just above the equator and cover an ocean area as large as the continental United States: 7.8 million square miles. Nature chose to spread the combined land mass of approximately 1,000 square miles over the more than 2,000 beautiful Micronesian islands. Population and Language Over 300,000 people live within Micronesia with nearly fifty percent residing on the island of Guam. While nine major distinct languages are spoken, English is the principal business language throughout the islands. Legal Entities Micronesia encompasses five distinct legal entities: • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands • Federated States of Micronesia • Guam • Republic of the Marshall Islands • Republic of Palau Currency The United States dollar is the basic currency throughout Micronesia. A Brief History The United States was ceded the Territory of Guam in 1898 at the conclusion of the Spanish-American War. Administration was assigned to the United States Navy until 1950 at which point a civilian governor was appointed. The first elected governor took office in 1970. The remaining islands became a United Nations Trusteeship administered by the United States in 1947. The Trusteeship remained intact until the covenant to establish the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands was signed in 1976. In 1978, the island governments of Kosrae, Yap, Chuuk, and Pohnpei became the Federated States of Micronesia. The Republic of the Marshall Islands was established in 1979. The Republic of Palau was established on October 1, 1994. Overview Tax and Investment Profile for Micronesia Thinking of doing business in Micronesia? 7 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 8 Physical Characteristics The Northern Mariana Islands are composed of 14 islands extending north from Guam in a 425 mile (685 kilometer) chain. The Marianas are “high islands” of volcanic origin capped with limestone. They are, in fact, the southernmost tips of a six-mile high mountain range rising from the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean, the Marianas Trench. The bulk of the land mass and the population are concentrated on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. Saipan, the largest and most populated of the islands in the Commonwealth, sets atop a mountain which extends 31,000 feet beneath the surface of the water. With Mount Tapochau, at 1,545 feet above sea level, Saipanese might well argue that they reside on the highest mountain in the world. A protective reef provides areas for water-related sports activity along the western coast. The north, east and south coast lines are primarily cliff-lined with periodic sandy beaches. Tinian, three miles south of Saipan, is relatively flat and has been used for ranching purposes during the past few decades. During the latter portion of the Second World War it was developed as a home base for U.S. Air Force B-29 Superfortresses. The runways and roads developed during this period are clearly evident and in use today. The population resides primarily in the village of San Jose which boasts the only port facility. Rota is the southernmost of the Northern Marianas, approximately 35 miles to the north of Guam. A high mesa, approximately 1,000 feet above sea level, it is noted for rich soil and has been the site of agricultural activity for many generations. Farms are interspersed with archeological sites throughout the island. Two villages, Songsong and Sinapalo, are home to the majority of the residents. Islands to the north of Saipan are uninhabited. A volcano on Pagan forced the evacuation of its inhabitants in 1981. History Native Chamorros were the earliest known settlers of these beautiful islands. After some incidental Western contact in the 1500s and early 1600s, a Spanish mission headed by Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores was established in 1668 in Guam and the other Mariana islands. Although the early stage of the Spanish settlement was peaceful, violence soon followed upon the uprising of the native Chamorros. After subduing the Chamorros on Saipan, the survivors were moved to Guam. The Refalawasch, islanders from the low-lying atolls of the Caroline Islands, settled in Saipan around 1815 after a devastating typhoon destroyed all their crops. Permission was granted by the Spanish to Chief Aghurubw to settle in Saipan. Chamorros began to return to Saipan near the end of the 19th century. The Islands were sold by Spain to Germany in 1899 who, in turn, lost the Islands after World War I. In 1919, Japan took over administration of the Islands under a mandate from the League of Nations. During the next 25 years, sugar and fishing industries were developed. The Islands became a battleground during World War II. Thereafter, the Northern Mariana Islands were combined with the other Micronesian Islands, with the exception of Guam, to form the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. This Trust Territory was assigned by the United Nations to the United States for purposes of administration. In 1975, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands voted to accept a unique Commonwealth relationship with the United States. The Commonwealth’s Covenant establishes political union with the United States while providing for self- government and limiting, in some respects, applicability of federal law. On December 4, 1976, the CNMI Constitution was signed, and effective January 9, 1978, known today as Commonwealth Day, the Islands became self-governing with the inauguration of its first administration. The CNMI Constitution establishes the basic laws and principles of the government. All legislative mandated laws must conform, compliment and comply with the Constitution. Tax and Investment Profile for Micronesia Thinking of doing business in Micronesia? 9 The CNMI is home to about 53,000 people. Of the total, about 48,000 live on Saipan, 3,100 live on Tinian, and 2,500 live on Rota. Foreign workers, primarily from the Philippines, make up about 43% of the population. Government The Commonwealth Government is composed of three separate branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial. The Executive branch includes an elected governor and lieutenant governor as well as the operating departments and agencies tasked with administering the laws, rules and regulations of the Commonwealth. The Legislative branch includes two houses: the Senate and House of Representatives. Members of each house are elected by the voters within the districts which they represent. The Senate includes three members from Saipan, Rota and Tinian for a total of nine members. The House includes eighteen members from Saipan and one each from Rota and Tinian. The Judicial branch includes the Commonwealth Supreme Court and the Superior Court. The Superior Court has original jurisdiction in civil actions in law and in equity and overall criminal actions. The Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over judgments and orders of the Superior Court. The U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit has jurisdiction over appeals from the CNMI Supreme Court on cases involving U.S. Federal issues. Economic development activities within the Executive branch involve the Department of Commerce, the Department of Labor, the Department of Lands and Natural Resources, the Commonwealth Development Authority as well as the Coastal Resources Management Office. The Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor administer laws concerning employment and labor, regulate commercial fishing, maritime and agricultural resources, licenses, and regulate businesses engaged in construction and all other business activities not otherwise regulated by any other agency, including banking and uploads/Industriel/ micronesia-investment-guide.pdf