Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
SOME 3,000 Jamaica Union of Travellers Association (JUTA) operators islandwide are prepared to take action this Friday, if the Government does not reverse the tax on transportation in the tourist industry.
The decision, among several others, was taken at an extraordinary meeting of the organisation's executive committee, the Negril and Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce, the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Sandals Resorts International and SuperClubs in Montego Bay yesterday.
"Our members are being mobilised islandwide," Garfield Williamson, chapter president of JUTA Montego Bay, told The Gleaner. "Our backs are against the wall, we are about to lose everything we have if Sandals makes good on its decision to withdraw our services from their properties as of December 31."
According to JUTA, the association is representing Maxi and JCAL Tours and all other small ground transportation companies.
The operators, who have been fighting to get Government to roll back the tax since last week, were in a militant mood yesterday.
"There is no limit as to where we will take our protest," Mr. Williamson said.
MATTER TO BE RESOLVED
JUTA members said they have been assured by State Minister in the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, Dr. Wykeham McNeill, that the matter would be resolved by this Thursday.
During the closed door meeting, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mark Kerr-Jarrett, criticised the Government for the ad hoc approach to changing the tax structure which he said will be a disincentive to investors.
"All business interests must join forces to ensure that this does not continue," he urged. "The issue goes way beyond the GCT on transportation, it speaks to the illogical manner in which they make changes to increase revenue," Mr. Kerr-Jarrett said. "Government cannot continue to squeeze the people who are currently compliant; they must go out and find those who are evading taxes, eliminate their own waste and grow the economy."
Horace Peterkin, president of the JHTA, implored Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies to look at rescinding the 40 per cent increase in GCT.
He said the entire country was dependent on tourism and "whenever tourism is affected, it's reflected in the other sectors."
