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General DegreeTyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
Some local entertainers have learned about the newly enforced European tax laws the hard way.
Ducky Simpson, one of the founding members of the Grammy-winning Black Uhuru, said he unexpectedly felt the full brunt of the tax axe during a European tour in 2000.
"Yeah me know about the tax, it has been there from ever since, it was imposed upon me unexpectedly. We go over their to work and dem draw money from we, it cause a lot of problem with me and the booking agent, it mash up all di tour," he explained.
He continued: "The deal was that we would get x amount, but when we reach about three-quarters through the tour we hear seh dem ago draw out tax out of the money and that throw off everything cause that mash up di budget weh we did have set in place."
The group Morgan Heritage, which tours Europe extensively, was more fortunate as they got news of the situation before setting out on tour. "I found out last year that they would be implementing the tax, I think it is just a ting to crash down foreign artistes from taking money out of their country," said Gramps, the group's lead singer.
"I remember I read somewhere that Michael Jackson had to cancel a whole European tour because of that same tax law. Even though it affect us just the same we nah go mek it deter us because the music is a mission, as long as we nuh affi go inna we owna pocket to pay for the tour." It does, however, limit the amount of time that Morgan Heritage spends on the continent, Gramps added.
General Degree who has performed in the last two Summerjam festivals, staged on a small German island by Contour Music Promotion, said he was unaware of the tax grab. "Mi nuh know nutten bout that, ah di first mi ah hear dat. Well, mi will still go to Europe to do shows but that means that my fee gone up then," said the versatile deejay.
Ducky Simpson agreed. "All will happen is that the concert will get more expensive. If you use to charge the promoter $10,000 yuh will affi start charge $12,500, yuh understand yuh affi go start mek up yuh budget with the tax taken into consideration."
Some entertainers were also unaware of Jamaica's double taxation treaty with some countries which will ensure that they are not paying more taxes than set out in the Jamaican income tax law. Others believed that they were exempt from being taxed if the income was generated outside Jamaica. "Double taxation ah fi di artiste dem weh a work home and abroad, mi nuh fall unda dat cause mi nuh get nuh work a Jamaica. If me pay tax ah England me nuh see how me fi pay tax again a Jamaica that not logical," reasoned Mr. Simpson.
General Degree and a number of others were aware, however, that even if the income was generated on Mars, the home country still had to impose its own taxes. "Mi pay mi income tax, and mi know seh it nuh matter where me earn the money, mi still affi pay tax a Jamaica cause me live here."
