From rum to work permits! NDP imposes higher taxes on residents
Tax on work permits & rum
They have imposed higher taxes on everything that moves in the Virgin Islands, from work permits, to hotel, tobacco products, marine fees, passports, departure fees and other government services to name a few.
The new higher taxes imposed by the NDP Administration are expected to hurt the poor the most and raise much needed revenue for a broke treasury.
Many residents who usually do their bar hopping during the August festivities will feel the pinch on the higher cost for alcohol at their favorite bars or festival booths, as the taxes will be passed down by business owners to the little man.
Hotel & Villa Tax gone up
Visitors to the territory or those who want to do a staycation pushed by the BVI Tourist Board will also feel the burden of higher taxes. The Government has now imposed a new 3% tax hike on all hotels and villas. It’s a hike from 7% to 10%, according to a Cabinet decision obtained by this news site last month.
It is unclear if this new higher tax will force more hotels to close their doors. Within the past year, some three hotels have closed and laid off almost 400 workers. They include Rosewood Little Dix Bay and Biras Creek Resort, both on Virgin Gorda.
All the taxes will be passed down to people staying at hotels and villas, according to industry operators.
Financial Secretary Neil M. Smith told this year’s Standing Finance Committee, while deliberating the 2016 Budget, that the aim of all these new taxes is to raise some $20M.
However, critics of the NDP Administration have labeled them the “tax and spend government” who now reportedly left the country broke because of financial mismanagement.
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35 Responses to “From rum to work permits! NDP imposes higher taxes on residents ”
Mendacity galore!
Can fool some people some of the time but can't fool all the people all the time.