Black Immigrant Daily News

Among other business completed on Tuesday, the House of Assembly signed off on government’s plan to extend an import-duty reduction by three months, and it green-lighted regulations that give more teeth to the International Tax Authority.

The first decision gives the HOA’s stamp of approval to an order Gazetted on July 22 under the Customs Management and Duties Act 2010.

The order extends temporary import-duty reductions that leaders said were designed to help residents struggling with rising prices since the start of the war in Ukraine.

One set of cuts — which reduced customs duties above five percent to five percent — was imposed on April 15 for a period of three months, and it has now been extended three more months effective July 15.

Also extended by three months were reductions of import duty from 22 cents to 11 cents on diesel and from 32 cents to 16 cents on gasoline, and reductions from 18 cents to 9 cents per 100 pounds of cement and $1.20 to 60 cents for 100 pounds of propane.

“This is an extension of an initiative that started just three months ago,” Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley explained Tuesday in the HOA. “Our business community has had a hard time with the hurricanes and the pandemic, and with inflation. This initiative would’ve assisted our business community.”

Passing on savings

Dr. Wheatley also promised that his government will work to ensure that the tax cuts are passed on to consumers. To that end, he said, the Consumer Affairs Unit of the Trade Department will be “activated,” and the government will hold meetings with various public agencies.

He also said the Central Statistics Office monitors inflation rates every week and suggested that its reports be made public more often.

“We’ll look at a specific basket of goods we’ll want to provide relief for, and we’ll make sure those savings are passed on,” Dr. Wheatley added.

Government backbencher Vincent Wheatley (R-D9) spoke in support of the tax cut, saying that he “hears the cries of the people every single day.”

Deputy Speaker Neville Smith (R-at large) and opposition member Carvin Malone (R-at large) stressed the importance of measures designed to ensure that savings benefit customers as well as business owners.

“This is something we need to keep our eyes on,” Mr. Smith said. “We need to have reports come in on how it’s working.”

Minister for Trade and Economic Development Shereen Flax-Charles (R-at large) said she stands in support of the resolution, which ultimately passed.

ITA regulations

Moving on, the HOA approved new regulations for the ITA that Dr. Wheatley said will enable the agency to impose certain administrative penalties without going through the courts.

The move, Dr. Wheatley said, is designed in part to help make the financial sector’s regulatory regime more “efficient and effective.”

He added that people will still have the right to appeal the administrative penalties through the courts.

The motion approving the regulations — which were Gazetted on Aug. 4 — passed unanimously without debate.

Also on Tuesday, the House passed a resolution to cut remittance taxes from seven percent to 3.5 percent and debated the Water and Sewerage Authority Act, 2022.

Dr. Wheatley also introduced the Jury Act 2022.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The National Fisheries Authority (NFA) is encouraging Jamaicans to consider the production of oysters, to meet the existing demand.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the NFA, Dr Gavin Bellamy, said interested persons can come into the Authority’s office to register and learn about the regulatory process.

“There is a market, because in the Corporate Area you will see oysters sold at events, parties and dances, and in food establishments. With it being on sale regularly, persons will be able to get the product and have good sale of it,” he told JIS News. Dr. Bellamy also said the NFA has focused its efforts on providing technical and financial support to fishermen cooperatives interested in oyster production.

Currently, the Authority is focusing on developing oyster production in Savanna- la-Mar, Westmoreland and Green Island, in Hanover.

“We are encouraging this production around the island, but I must say that for Savanna-la-Mar and Green Island, they are doing very well. We are encouraging them and providing support, so they can increase the production and produce sufficiently, so we can put additional amounts into the tourism sector and the local market to minimise some of the importation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senior Director in the Aquaculture Branch at the NFA, DeHaan Brown, said oyster production has minimal start-up costs associated with it.

“Our method of culture was developed locally by our scientists here and it uses a method of racks, bamboos and logs. Additionally, the young oysters, which are the spats, persons could get them from our facility. The last time we checked, we found that the cost to set up a five-rack system was between $60,000 and $70,000,” he noted.

Input costs, such as feed, would also be non-existent as oysters are filter feeders. This means they strain and extract suspended food matter in water.

“All you have to do is purchase the spats, string them out and wait four or five months and then you will have oysters. It’s that simple,” he said.

Persons interested in oyster production need to operate by a low-tide area or protected bay area to avoid increased wave action.

Good bay areas are normally located on the south and northeastern coasts, including locations in Portland, St. Mary and St. Thomas.

Mr. Brown also said persons can find opportunities in value-added oyster products.

“Products like the Oyster punch came out of the NFA’s thrust to drive demand for the product. Another part is a business opportunity of dried oysters and oyster sauces that already exist in developed countries. These can drive our industry forward,” he said.

For more information on oyster production and opportunities in the Aquaculture Branch at the Authority, persons can call 876-984-9343.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

A.T.A. su inversionnan y esfuerzonan grandi ta duna fruto

ORANJESTAD (AAN): Desde 1997 Aruba ta presente den e mercado di Reino Uni. Mientras historicamente Hulanda semper tabata e mercado principal di Aruba na Europa, den e ultimo añanan prome cu pandemia, Reino Uni a bira e di dos mercado mas grandi pa Aruba den Europa.  

            Cu trabao duro, den colaboracion cu Ministerio di turismo, AAA, y AHATA a haci di e mercado aki e di dos mas fuerte na Europa. For di basta aña a bin ta traha tambe riba un conexion directo for di Reino Uni pa Aruba, banda di e opcion pa bishita cu TUI UK of cu KLM. Hopi factor a influencia e proceso y na e momento aki, despues di 7 aña nos ta hopi satisfecho di por anuncia cu Aruba ta e prome destino di Caribe Hulandes cu a logra yega na un acuerdo cu British Airways unda Aruba lo ta ricibiendo su vuelo inaugural cu e aerolinea aki den 2023.

            Na 2019, 12% di bishitantenan di Europa a bin for di Reino Uni. Durante e prome 6 lunanan di 2022 por wak cu 11% di bishitante di Europa a bin for di Reino Uni. Esaki ta demostra un recuperacion sano. Cu e vuelo directo den 2023 ta premira cu e mercado aki lo por crece mas, algo cu ta parti di A.T.A. su strategia di diversificacion.

            Si bay bek den historia; na 1997 Aruba a ricibi 2,679 bishitante di Reino Uni, cu ta 5% di bishitante for di Europa e aña ey.

            Den transcurso di añanan e cifra aki a keda subi te cu 14,502 na 2010, 19% di e total di bishitantenan for di Europa. Despues di algun aña di fluctuacion, na 2017, a yega na e cantidad record di 19,201 bishitante, 21% di e total di bishitante for di Europa e aña ey.

            Por spera cu e mercado aki lo por yega alrededor di 15,000 bishitante den 2023, yegando asina na un crecemento di 38% den comparacion cu 2019 y mustrando un recuperacion di 78% compara cu 2017, cual tabata e aña record.

            Por wak cu tanto di e mercado Europeo como di e mercado especifico di Reino Uni, mas cu 60% di bishitante ta cay den categoria di Gen Z, Millenials y Gen X (e 3 categorianan ta entre 9 y 56 aña), pues esaki ta categorianan cu por sigui crece den e añanan cu ta bin.

            Aruba tin representacion ya pa mas di 20 aña den e mercadonan di Reino Uni y a haci diferente campaña y esfuerzo pa asina operadornan y consumidornan considera Aruba.

            Algun ehempel ta campañanan cu socionan manera Barrhead Travel, Expedia, Kuoni, Caribbean Hotels, TUI UK y KLM, campañanan na diferente stacion di radio riba nivel nacional, mercadeo digital ‘Press trips’ cu publicacionnan clave mane “The Daily Mail”, “The Times”, “The Telegraph”, “Food & Travel” y “Travel Weekly” y ‘Fam trips’ pa agentenan y operadornan clave pa Aruba. Den transcurso di añanan a haci tambe anuncionan publicitario por ehempel ora cubri taxinan cu branding di Aruba como tambe ‘billboards’ grandi den e sistema di Metro London Underground, campañanan cu Sunglasses Hut y Samsonite den centronan comercial na Reino Uni.

            Tambe a haci un campaña cu ‘Wilson tennis rackets’ pa promove Aruba beach tennis. A promove e campaña na e stand di Wilson na Wimbledon. 

            Aruba ta presente tur aña na diferente bolsa importante mane WTM, ITB, Unite Caribbean y Caribbean Showcase pa asina por tin contacto cu diferente socio cu ta bende Aruba. Mester menciona tambe cu e representante di A.T.A. na Reino Uni ta miembro di e hunta di directiva di CTO UK.

            E vuelonan cu British Airways lo duna Aruba e oportunidad pa traha tambe hunto cu British Airways Holidays, yegando di e forma ey na operadornan, socionan y clientenan nobo cu antes no tabata bende Aruba.

            Mirando e responsabilidad di A.T.A. pa sigui diversifica nos mercado y atrae bishitantenan nobo cu tin e poder di compra pa contribui na nos economia, A.T.A. ta sigui inverti den e mercado aki, trahando di cerca cu British Airways entre otro, como tambe TUI UK, KLM y otro socionan na Aruba y den e mercado.

            Hecho ta cu, e logro historico aki ta resultado di colaboracionnan estrecho y tambe inversionann grandi di parti A.T.A. pa medio di su presupuesto di mercadeo pa Europa y pa medio di fondo dirigi riba atraccion y mantencion di asientonan aereo pa Aruba. Esaki ta un parti grandi di e exito di Aruba.

            Awor cu e contrato ta finalisa y e ruta ta confirma e trabao mes ta bay cuminsa y e ekipo di A.T.A. tanto na Aruba, na Europa y específicamente na Reino Uni ta cla pa e reto nobo aki. Aruba, pabien!

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