It was one of the smallest announcements in the Budget -- just one sentence in the massive 35-page statement -- but to local flower sellers it was the most meaningful.

Finance Minister Eugene Cox announced on February 18 that: "The duty on cut flowers will be reduced, at a loss to the revenue of $140,000.'' It later emerged that the Government's intention was to lower the duty from 33.5 percent to 22.25 percent, news that Bermuda Florist manager Theresa Madeiros said made her "ecstatic''.

"It's been a long time coming,'' she continued, noting that flower retailers had been trying to get the duty lowered for a long time.

"We have met with Government officials but nothing has ever been done. We met with Eugene Cox late last year.'' The Flower Shop manager Ian Page agreed with his colleague.

"The flower retailers' chapter of the Chamber of Commerce has been on to this Finance Minister and the previous Finance Minister and their people to try and make them aware of what we were experiencing,'' he said.

"No one was aware that we were attracting the 33.5 percent import duty which was previously luxury tax for items like jewellry and cars and no one could say why it was 33.5 percent.'' The change will benefit retailers and consumers, the pair said, by helping to lower costs which are exaggerated because of the perishable nature of flowers.

Said Ms Madeiros: "Any reduction would make it better than it was.

"In our line of business, we throw away a lot of stuff if it is not sold and if we throw it in the trash we still pay duty on it.

"It's not like clothing where if it does not sell you can put it on sale and get something for it. We do not get anything for flowers if they do not sell.'' Calling the reduction "a good idea'', Mr. Page noted: "This should help with pricings and inventory management.'' Echoing Ms Madeiros' comments, he noted: "If we can not sell our product two or three days after we get it here, it is no good to anybody.

"By lowering the duty from 33.5 percent it will help us lower our costs.

"The things we throw out, the unsold stock which goes in the garbage, is a big cost to our business because the duty paid on it goes along with it.

"We can't hold on to items if they don't sell. This will help with fresh flowers immensely and help us run more efficiently.'' Eugene Cox BUSINESS BUC