Premier declines to offer reprieve on remittance tax
Premier Andrew Fahie has declined to offer a reprieve to persons facing a seven per cent remittance tax when they use money transfer services in the territory.
When asked at a press conference last week if he felt this was an opportune time to do so given the economic hardships residents are facing due to steadily rising prices globally, the Premier said his concern was focused on the BVI.
“The stimulus that we are doing here will be able to help us to stem the tide here in the Virgin Islands,” the Premier said.
He continued: “Our concern is going to be here in the Virgin Islands – the economic impact that we’re feeling. Whatever persons want to do with their money that they will be able to save from the stimuli that we are going to do, that’s up to them.”
The Premier just recently announced a stimulus initiative that will see a significant reduction of Customs duties on various items and said this will be put in place to ease the financial burdens of the people. He said this will be effective from April 15 for three months in the first instance.
The Premier also announced that there would be a 50 per cent reduction on the import duty on gasoline and diesel.
“This should give our people some relief at the gas pumps and in their pockets,” Premier Fahie stated recently.
According to Fahie, “not only will this initiative help to ease the burdens on businesses and individuals, but it will help to increase the purchasing power of people across all sectors.”
Opposition Leader Marlon Penn recently referred to the money transfer services tax implemented by the Fahie-led government as a burden placed on the backs of the poor and as a tax placed on persons who can ill afford to pay it.
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That should not surprise an inmigrant like me, you work with your mouth shutnandyou gray matter is used for that God put on this earth to live in peace,happines an health forget taxes and the Bible you talk about them and remember the collector of taxes
Unfortunately,if you are from that special region of Hades, most of your immigrant comrades do not practice peace there nor elsewhere. The cost to the VI,socially and economically continues to climb and its only fair that this cost should be reimbursed and funded by the appropriate practitioners of this evil which keeps growing.
he done beat his chest and bragged how much he took from our Caribbean brothers and sisters , he is enjoying that now
And he calls himself a man of God…jokes. No Robin Hood here…just a gr**dy man.
I do not understand the argument here. If people are working in the BVI and chose to export their funds, that’s up to them. It almost seem like this is a place where one works and export the proceeds gained, and the Premier is to assist with the export. The Premier is correct, the Country he was elected to govern should be his priority. People are free to make whatever decisions they want with their money.
@Lisa No the people are obviously not
“free to make whatever decisions they want with their money.”
They’re charged 7% tax, that’s not free.
But it isn’t a tax for everyone only the poor using western union. That’s not fair.
Responsible employed individuals here and elsewhere, pays for the expenses that they create.
These deadbeatS have an obligation to do just that, Perhaps they should get one of their various deadbeat men of their God to show them on paper what they are costing the BVI,monetarily and otherwise. A Good Name is priceless.
Well for too long the system has been where people come specifically to work and send all the money out the country. This is not good for us long term thus I think it is right to tax some of that for programs such as senior citizens schools and agriculture/fisheries
All this talk about evil. Is it not more evil to milk a country dry and then go. How will this country be years on if that continued.
The same way it currently is, great roads, schools, reasonable rent and food prices.
“Bleed a country dry?” You act as if immigrants are contributing nothing, instead of toiling away building and rebuilding the territory, cooking and serving your food, cleaning your homes and offices, renting your overpriced apartments, and paying your sky-high prices for absolutely everything else, just to send whatever measly dollars they have left over back to their families? What a wicked and uncharitable statement.
When your forefathers went to DR to work, where did they send their money, to Mars? Your great grandmothers surely appreciated it. A set of hypocrites.
It is only fair that your funds are exported after you pay for the damage you created while accumulating the funds that you were generously permitted to acquire.
Get acquainted with responsibility.
Why should he? Next topic please.
It would be a different story from him if they were registered voters.
This man does not understand the first thing about economics. Does he not realize that some of the money saved by not having to pay this unfair, racist, punitive tax will get spent here in the BVI?
That is the realization. It is being spent on expenses to the country created by said Western Union finances exporters. It is necessary that the expenses they continue to create apart from most other law abiding importees,be paid from their own pockets.
BVI LOVE my foot!! Who is this love being extended to?
They don’t vote they don’t count.
ATH Movil is transferring monies without stamp duty
Minister of work force, how convenient that its not a good time to raise the little man wages. But oh how convenient for you government find it necessary to make it financially and medically okay for you benefit. And then it’s the same under wages people who must pay for these services for you!
That should hold his expirate supporters
A cow who gives a bucket of milk them
Kicks it over
Vote him out
The country was doing good before he start taking the poor people money, I don’t know if you are blind, but can you see any improvement since this tax is being taken out? The wicked must fall. People keep using western union and money gram so the seniors , fishermen and the country won’t suffer. I will continue use western union because who God bless no man can curse.My money is bless so I don’t weep and murmur I leave everything in God’s hand.
so is that why the employers not paying their part and you and
uncle ANDY allowing them to get away with ripping off the employee and the same country , and you have the hearts to
using the ward ( MilKING ?
It is fair. Everything is a problem for you non bvilanders. Go back home if you have a problem . See if things are better. ?
Considerthe millions spent yearly on their family and country brethren who are the dominant criminal elements of the VI including lifers…7% is chicken feed…There should be another tax just for that maintenance… the cost to the VI is astronomical,our quality of life, education,medical…any and everything…An expanded and or second prison is needed. Let them build it with contributions in the form of taxes.
The VI is the loser in this immigration fiasco.
Increased uniform mankind by the thousands imported just to attempt control of they and ortheir newly born behaviours..appalling,nauseating destructive parasites.
The dominant criminal elements of the BVI are BVIslanders. Its people in the establishment with big money calling the shots. Have you seen who is getting shot??
The same people going to church are financing the deals.
Immigrants while may earn more than at home have to jump through a whole bunch of crap to live here. Many are being paid a pittance in comparison to those working in Govt. The BVI Government makes a lot from the immigration process and the taxes they pay.
In the meantime, the BVI Government and people treat its own poor, sick and old in the worst possible way.
Educate yourself. Go and read the budget. Go and spend some time with those who are mentally unwell. Go and spend time with the newly released prisoners who have no help.
The dominant criminal elements in the VI are immigrants or children of immigrants ( one or both parents). This holds true also for the USVI.
The vigil held a few weeks ago with its famil I ar lamentations were dominated by mothers,sans fathers,from neighboring Caribbean Islands. This included the honoree( relative) of the vigil..
Same situation is a frequency in NYC,to which I can attest as a resident.
Windrush (UK)scandal sweep was partly an exasperated response to this
global phenomena.Immigration/passport/ entry requirements defines and discriminates for this reason.
The prison and criminal court records of the VI,USVI and everywhere else,tells the story.
Some things are undeniable.
Considerthe millions spent yearly on their family and country brethren who are the dominant criminal elements of the VI including lifers…7% is chicken feed…There should be another tax just for that maintenance… the cost to the VI is astronomical,our quality of life, education,medical…any and everything…An expanded and or second prison is needed. Let them build it with contributions in the form of taxes.
The VI is the loser in this immigration fiasco.
Increased uniform force by the thousands imported just to attempt control of they and ortheir newly borned behaviours..appalling,nauseating destructive exhaustive, requires expensive attempts at control.
The dominant criminal elements in the VI are immigrants or children of immigrants ( one or both parents). This holds true also for the USVI.
The vigil held a few weeks ago with its famil I ar lamentations were dominated by mothers,sans fathers,from neighboring Caribbean Islands. This included the honoree( relative) of the vigil..
Same situation is a frequency in NYC,to which I can attest as a resident.
Windrush (UK)scandal sweep was partly an exasperated response to this
global phenomena.Immigration/passport/ entry requirements defines and discriminates for this reason.
The prison and criminal court records of the VI,USVI and everywhere else,tells the story.
Some things are undeniable.
Most of ppl who send out money through MoneyGram and WU are the expat workers. They money they are sending out is the lil bit of money they have left after spending most of their paycheck on their expenses such as work permit, time extension, rent, food,drinks at the bar, clothes, utility bills and gas(if they’re driving), which are all spent locally. So why are they still being taxed again. Their families don’t live here, why must they be penalized for putting food on their family table back home after spending most of their money here into the the economy. They’ve already done their fare share of keeping the money here.