The People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) has expressed outrage at the way the Government has dealt with the matter of the Business License fees and is calling on the Governor to intervene and stop the unlawful acts of the Government.
“Firstly, its sudden assault with hiking the fees without consultation flaunts the requirement for consultation as set out in the Statement of Good Governance Principles. And even when exposed, the Premier’s response was less than
transparent and honest.
Secondly, the Government set July 1, 2014 as the date for which the new fees would take effect and without legal authority, has refused to accept payments for renewals before this date,” said the leader of the opposition Hon Sharlene Robinson in a press release to RTC News.
Hon Robinson said in an attempt to make legal its illegal instructions which has caused Businesses to operate without valid licenses between March 31, 2014 and July 1, 2014, the Government tabled an amendment to the Business Licensing Ordinance. She said TCIG’s withdrawal of the Bill, removed the protection needed after giving unlawful and erroneous instructions.
“We were shocked when the Government withdrew this, as this offered protection to those businesses that followed Government’s erroneous and unlawful advice.
After this issue was raised by the PDM, the Government has realized that it could not lawfully refuse to accept payments for renewals, but it in its seemingly “corrective” approach, has made another major illegal blunder by collecting on the new fees that are not scheduled to take effect until July 1, 2014. For the Government to collect payments based on fees and rates which are to take effect July 1, 2014, is again unlawful.
The Governor as the President of Cabinet needs to stop the unlawful acts of this Government and the Opposition is calling on him to act.
The Government is fumbling too much on the issue of business licensing reform and in a Private Members’ item filed with Parliament since May 16, 2014, the PDM will raise this in a substantive Motion on June 5th during the next
meeting of the House. It is our position that the Government needs to
withdraw the Regulations that are hiking the fees and causing confusion of
Businesses and we will continue to agitate for this,” said Hon Robinson.
The PDM in its release encourages the Government to observe the actions of
the Cayman Islands’ where, in its attempt to provide relief to its people and
businesses; it has taken on certain measures which include the ability to pay
its license fees in installments.
“We maintain that the Government is not a friend of businesses and it does
not understand that its very actions are further hurting the economy,” Hon Robinson added.
