By Damion Mitchell, Staff ReporterHOTELIER JOHN Issa says the Government has failed to adequately organise the economy to attract optimal levels of investments in areas such as tourism and agriculture, which it claimed were fundamental to national development.
Mr. Issa, chairman of the SuperClubs chain of all-inclusive resorts, was speaking on Friday night at the Jamaica Agricultural Society's (JAS) 'Eat Jamaican' Gala at Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston. The gala marked the end of 'Farmers' Month' activities for 2004.
"Why is it that we continue to over-tax tourism and not create and provide the infrastructure and services needed for agriculture?" Mr. Issa asked.
Noting that approximately 30 per cent of every dollar spent by a visitor in a hotel went into the tax coffers, he criticised the move by the Government for a new head tax to be imposed on stopover visitors while cruise ship passengers were not obligated to pay such taxes.
"Instead of reducing the already burdensome level of taxation, at least in tourism, we are adding," Mr Issa said, while suggesting that the non-requirement of taxes for cruise ship passengers could be the main contributing factor for the growth of that industry.
Jamaica Tourist Board data indicate that for January to November 2003, there were 1,211,79 stopover visitors while cruise ship arrivals increased by 35.5 per cent over the similar period of the previous year.
REGULARISE ECONOMY
Mr. Issa said it was important that the Government regularise persons operating in the informal economy, representing about 45 per cent of the general economy. This, he said, had resulted in those who are in the tax net carrying a double "unjustified burden".
The revenues, he noted, could help to further develop the tourism industry and provide more for the needs of farmers. "That is the only way if our people are not to remain poor and continue to migrate."
He endorsed the 'Eat Jamaican' campaign which was launched recently by the JAS, stating that even domestic agriculture should be viewed as a foreign-exchange earner. "Anything we do not produce we will have to import and foreign exchange saved is foreign exchange earned," he said.
Following Mr. Issa's address, the JAS rewarded four individuals for outstanding contributions to agriculture, and three companies, for their support of its 'Eat Jamaican' campaign.
The individuals were Ivan Tomlinson; Joyce Shaw; Clinton McGann and Robert Levy; the companies honoured were: Grace Kitchens, SuperClubs and Super Plus Food Stores.
Among those attending the function were: Senator Norman Grant, president of the JAS and Roger Clarke, Minister of Agriculture. Allan Rickards, chairman of the All-Island Cane Farmers' Association, chaired the function.
