(1988)1988Decant»14 [PIKIS, J.] INTHEMATTEROFARTICLE146OFTHECONSTITUTION STYLLISCHRISTOU» Applicant, v. THEREPUBLICOFCYPRUS,THROUGH THEMINISTRYOFFINANCEAND/OR THEDIRECTOROFTHEDEPARTMENTOF CUSTOMSANDEXCISE, Respondents. (CaseNo.229/87). CustomsandExciseDuties—Motor vehicles,dutyfreeimportationofbyCypriots—Order 188/82of theCouncil of Ministers—"Permanent settlement"—Meaning—Tenyearscontinuousstayabroaddoesnotautomaticallyqualifythestayertothebenefitoftheorder—Stayinacountry,where foreignersarenotpermittedtoownimmovable propertyorbecomeitsna- 5 tionals—Applicant ownedproperty inCyprus, hischildren were settled hereandbothheandhiswifepaidpenodicvisitstoCyprus—Reasonably opentorespondenttoconclude thattheprerequisiteofpermanentsettlementabroadwasnotsatisfied. Executoryact—CustomsandExciseDuties—Motorvehicles,dutyfreeimpor- 10 tationofbyCypriots—OrderJ88/82oftheCouncilofMinisters—Views expressedinresponsetoanapplicationforanintendedimportation—Not executory,butinformativeinnature. The facts of this case sufficiently appearfromthejudgmentof the Court 15 Recoursedismissed. Noorderastocosts. 2454 ' 3 C.L.R. •• < Christoii v. Republic • Casesreferredto: loannouv. TheRepublic
(1986)3 CLJ0263; i **• Matsdsv. TheRepublic
(1985)3 C.L.R.54; . - - Solomoniaesv;TheRepublic
(1986)3GL.R.1025; ·» . • *- Katsourav.TheRepublic
(1986)3CLA'.1051; . Rossidesv. TteRepublic
(1984)3 C:LR. 1482; ' Mavronichisv. TAeRepublic
(1985)3C.L.R:2301; Kongouν.'ΤΛίRepublic
(1987)3C.L.R.27. * Recourse. 10 .Recourse against thedecision of therespondents refusing ap plicant's application'for theimportationof aduty free car as arepatriated-Cypriot. St.Panayides,for theapplicant D. Papadopoulou(Mrs.), for therespondent. 15 20 25 -. ., Cur. adv.viilt. PIKIS J. read thefollowing judgment. This is yet anotherre course for thereviewof adecision of theCustoms Authorities re fusing an application for theimportationof a duty-free car made on grounds of repatriation following permanent settlement abroad.Therefusal rested on a finding that theapplicantdidnot satisfy therequirements of thelaw, namely by Notification 188/ 82 issuedunders.il
(2)of the Customs and Excise Duties Law 1978. Hiscase for permanentsettlement abroad was foundedon the fact that hestayed at Oman for aperiod of eleven anda half years, aperiod thatcoincidedwith hisemploymentinthatcountry 2455 PikisJ. Christouv.Republic
(1988)bythefirmofJ.&P.(Overseas)Limited.Asacknowledged,the legislationofthatcountrydoesnotpermitforeignerseithertoacquireimmovablepropertyorbecomenationalsofthatcountry. In loannou v.Republic
(1986)3 C.L.R. 1263. 1266it was heldinthecontextofinterpretationoftheprovisionsoftheperti- 5 nentorderthattenyearsstayabroaddoesnotautomaticallyqualify thestayertotherightconferred byOrder 188/82.Permanent settlementabroadisaseparateprerequisiteforqualification tothe benefitoftheorder,associatedwiththepresenceorabsenceofan intention toestablish hishomein thecountryof residence.The JQ refusal oftheAuthoritiesinthatcasewasupheldbytheCourtfor thereason,interalia,that itwasdifficult fornonnativesofthat country tocontemplate making Suadi Arabia theplaceof their permanent settlement. Like SaudiArabia,the naturalisation of foreigners isalsobarredbyOmanilegislation."Permanentsettlement connotes,"asA.Loizou,J. - ashethen was-observedin Matsas v.Republic
(1985)3C.L.R.54 "thenotion of arealor permanenthomeandshouldbedistinguished from thenotionof ordinaryresidence."Theapplicantinthiscaseownedpropertyin Cyprus,hischildren weresettledinthiscountryandbothheand hiswife paidperiodicvisits toCyprusthroughout theirstayin Oman. Counselinvited theCourttodistinguish thecaseoi loannou; supra,asinapplicabletothefactsofthepresentcaseandsubmittedthat therefusal oftheapplication wasfounded onamisconceptionofthelawandthefactsofthecase.Noneofthecasecited bycounselinhisaddress(See,Solomonidesv.Republic
(1986)3 C.L.R. 1025; Katsoura v.Republic
(1986)3 C.L.R.1051; KyriakosRossidesv.Republic
(1984)3C.L.R. 1482;Michael Mavronichisv.Republic
(1985)3C.L.R.2301)castsa Different interpretation ordoubts,theconceptofpermanent settlement,as elicitedinthecaseofloannou,thattenyearsstayabroaddoesnot ofitself signify conclusively permanentsettlementabroad.Iam inevitablydriven totheconclusion thatitwas,attheleast,reasonablyopentotherespondentstorefuse theapplication. 2456 25 30 35 3CX.R. 5 10 Christouv.Republic PikisJ. Moreover,therecourse mustbedismissedfor amore fundamentalreasonstill,namely,theabsenceofajusticiabledecision. InYiangouv.Republic
(1987)3C.L.R.27itwasdecidedbythe Full Bench of the Supreme Court that the signification of the viewsoftheCustomsandExciseDepartmentmadeinrecourseto anapplicationfortheintendedimportationofavehicleintimeto come,doesnotgiverisetoahexecutorydecision;itqualifiesonly asan informatory or advisory act,nonjusticiable under article 146.1 oftheConstitution. Consequently therecourse of the applicant is,in any event, doomed to failure for lack ofjurisdiction toreview its subject matter. Theapplicationisdismissed.Lettherebenoorderastocosts. Recoursedismissed. Noorderastocosts. 15 2457