BVI News

Policies created to determine how to spend env’t levy

Alva McCall

Policies have been developed to determine how the government will disperse the environmental levy which is collected at all local ports of entry.

This was revealed by Deputy Financial Secretary Alva McCall during the 2019 Standing Finance Committee (SFC) deliberations held in April.

“Forty percent of the funds collected will go towards the BVI Tourist Board for marketing purposes, 40 percent of the funds collected will go towards the Climate Change Trust Fund and 20 percent of the funds collected will go towards the National Parks Trust,” McCall said in the SFC report.

She also revealed that the regulations which are to be approved by Cabinet will also outline exactly how each of the recipient agencies should request for the funds and stated that other systems for reporting have also been designed to ensure accountability.

The total amount of environmental levy collected since its inception is well in excess of $1 million and McCall said those monies collected remained untouched.

“The funds are deposited into a special account … once the regulations have been approved by Cabinet, the funds will be distributed,” the SFC report stated.

Prior to the proposed regulations, the Environmental Protection and Tourism Improvement Fund Act 2017, had only specified which agencies benefited from the tax.

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29 Comments

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  1. Really! says:

    This is crazy!! Ringfence the environment levy for the environment. It should not be given to the Tourist Board for marketing!!!! Look what NPT gets, something really wrong with you people!

    Like 36
    • Tourists says:

      So you charge the white tourists the fees claiming it’s an environment tax and then use the money for attracting more tourists. I believe this is grounds for a lawsuit against the government. You people need to stop lying and cheating. You will never leave third world status. Oh, by the way, walking around in coats, ties and dresses doesn’t make you first world. What makes you first world is a level of honesty and a level of services that are deemed first world. You provide neither

      Like 46
      Dislike 4
    • Rubber Duck says:

      What exactly can this “ Climate change trust fund “ achieve?
      Nothing except providing jollies for its members I suspect.

      Like 18
      Dislike 1
  2. jimmy smith says:

    This young lady has no clue about this levy it was done by then Deputy Financial Secretary, and … supported by … GIS who did a lot of the adds, and announcements.

    • Oh please says:

      Boy, when you dislike someone you always find a way to tear them down, even with lies. FYI, that young lady was instrumental in crafting the legislation for the EPTIA before the levy was implemented. So stop taking out your a**.

  3. Queer says:

    So if I understand correctly we intend to use monies raised for improving the environment to market the territory that is in need of funds to improve the environment?

    Mot only that but the same decision makers continue to classify the borrowing of $8 mil from the EE/LL sewer project to the Pier Park project as sin. That’s queer.

    Like 15
  4. Retired says:

    It is outrageous to allow 40% of the Environmental Levy to be disbursed to the Tourist Board. I suggest that the Environmental Levy be disbursed with 50% to the NPT and 50% to the Climate Change Trust Fund.

    Like 24
    Dislike 1
    • Climate Change says:

      You people can’t change your underwear how are you going to fix climate change. What a crock of s**t. Why don’t you just be honest and say you are going to distribute the money to various entities where it will promptly disappear in the pockets of the … club. At least you would be honest then.

      Like 17
      Dislike 1
    • smh says:

      Absolutely, the Tourist Board gets enough already. Then when a tourist comes they can’t breathe clean air if staying at West End… Jokers

      Like 12
  5. hit the nail on the head says:

    Something is definitely wrong. NPT should get more to develop more green spaces and plant trees; and to the City Manager to beautify the capital, purchase and maintain those CCTV to catch litterbugs, purchase uniforms for the litter wardens, mass education campaign about keeping BVI beautiful before enforcing the litter law.

    Like 29
  6. Further says:

    I think it also needs a policy for the collection of the funds, as it goes against best practices to allow the funds to be collected by Customs Officers. I see no reason why individuals could not be sent to the cashiers to make the necessary payments.

    • Rubber Duck says:

      Tired tourists will surely be happy that their first experience of the BVI will be to be told to stand in a line to pay a tax. ( Possibly to someone wearing a govt issued mask )

      You couldn’t make this crap up.

      Like 12
  7. CW says:

    STRUPE THINKING

    Look at these comments. You lot very clearly do not have any idea how business works. Marketing for tourism (now the most important thing to make money for BVI) can be environmentally minded and do a good job of attracting visitors. Not only is it good business but it also helps stem the problems by informing tourists. Lime without littering! 60% of the money goes elsewhere! You lot cut off your noses to spite your faces more than any group of people on the planet Earth. Lawsuit against the government for spending money in multiple ways? Did you grow up in a cave? White tourists? Tourists are lots of colors and nationalities. The point is to expand the reach of BVI while not degrading the islands as much as possible. What is wrong with your lives that you CRY ABOUT EVERYTHING GOOD OR BAD. SMH

    STRUPE THINKING MAKES STRUPE CONSEQUENCES

    Like 1
    Dislike 18
  8. Precious says:

    I too agree that the ratio needs to be reversed with NPT with 40% and Climate Change 20%. It is necessary for National Parks to be heavily invested in if we speak of boasting Tourism, especially at a time when our financial services industry is under attack. We need to focus on the reality of things and not just talk but rather put action into what really needs to be done to move the country forward.

  9. Photographer says:

    Where they find that old picture from? That picture is like 20 years old.

  10. LB says:

    You people are ignorant! The levy was ALWAYS the Environmental & Tourism Levy! It was neverrr just an environmental levy. ONLY tourists pay the levy. The work of the tourism board helps to bring in the tourists. They need more resources to be able to continue to bring in quality tourists. Initially the levy was split 60% to 40%. National Parks never had anything to do with this levy. But you all never do any research or check any facts, just read a headline and talk nonsense.

    Like 1
    Dislike 10
  11. smh says:

    All of it needs to be spent for a new incinerator so the people west of Pockwood Pond can breath…Money going out for everything but the most critical problem in the BVI. Is clean air not ENVIRONMENT… How you think the tourist gone feel when the have spent big bucks and paid an Environment Fee to come here on vacation and have to breathe the nasty crap West End has to breathe? Why is Government NOT updating progress, if any, on the issue?

    Like 11
  12. vip heckler says:

    Please please keep that money away from the hands of the politicians

  13. Environmental levy says:

    40% to pay for first/business class travel carbon emmissions! Only in the BVI

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
    • Explain says:

      Your post is true the only problem is the uneducated Belonger dumbasses coming out of their substandard schools need to be taught what carbon emissions and carbon footprint are. The … is too stupid to understand

      Like 4
      Dislike 3
  14. No nonsense says:

    More monies for the tourist board and A PRIVATE PERSON, on line has taken over100% of online advertising business of the BVI. And its ALL tax free, NHI, SOCIAL SECURITY AND WHAT EVER FREE!!HMMMM!!!

  15. Stainlessbloke says:

    Not a thought about recycling or waste management. Damn!

  16. Anonymous says:

    “uneducated Belonger dumbasses coming out of their substandard schools.”

    Really now. I am sure you can write many more untruth and faksehoods adjectives if your hate filled mind are educated enough to conjure them up.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Every last one ah dem are diverting monies into dem pocket. Or so it appears.

  18. Lol says:

    Hmmm…. inviting people to your home before you clean it up.

  19. Sharp boy says:

    The money is for them people to show off taking trips showing there food drinks and how the dress on Facebook that what some of them does do at tourist board

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