'They are basically adding new fees every minute'- Frequent visitor to VI
The Environmental Protection and Tourism Improvement Fund Act, 2017 which was passed in the House of Assembly on June 9, and subsequently gazetted on June 12, states that all visitors arriving to the Territory via air or sea are required to pay the levy.
According to the Government of the Virgin Islands, in compliance with the Environmental Protection and Tourism Improvement Fund Act 2007, only the following persons are exempted: residents and belongers; non-residents two years or under; Officers of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court; guest of the government; official representatives of the Government of any country or territory; persons accorded diplomatic privileges in accordance with the Diplomatic Privileges Ordinance; and persons exempted by the Minister by Order published in the Gazette.
Other exemptions include visitors arriving in the Virgin Islands on a second or subsequent occasion in the course of the same visit; persons in transit who on arrival do not leave the airport or dock; and crew of vessels.
New fees being added every minute!
The National Democratic Party (NDP) Government has been criticised for imposing many taxes and hardship on its residents and this new tax was also not well received by some outside of the Virgin Islands.
In an interview with Melissa C. Wolfe, a resident of St Thomas, USVI, she stated that she is very upset that the VI government is adding a next fee for visitor.
Some have claimed that the Government is trying to make back money from raiding the treasury to win the 2015 snap elections and for the many project overruns.
"I don't agree with it and they are going to make people stop coming over to visit. We already have to pay too much for departure tax and now we have to pay another one."
Speaking with another frequent traveler to the Virgin Islands, Kaydeon N. White, resident of St Croix pointed out that she notices that the fees are slowly being added, noting that the VI government is trying to make money from these small taxes.
"I'm basically always travelling to the BVI, so I will definately notice when a new tax is added. They are just slowly adding new fees every minute," noting that this is to slow down the influx of people coming into the Virgin Islands.
All visitors must have the necessary documents available to help determine their status.
The monies collected will be used to facilitate environmental protection and improvement, climate change, and the maintenance and development of tourist sites and other tourism related activities.
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29 Responses to “'They are basically adding new fees every minute'- Frequent visitor to VI”
BTW- what about those who have owned property for 45 years and return three times a year- add to the economy by employment and car rentals? who take care of their land by being ecologically friendly? Why should they get penalized too? Especially when we all know that the money will not go where it is intended to go and will be funneled off into pockets. Violation example: the filling in of West End coastline without public meeting for an industrial park servicing big boats. And being linked to its representative. SHAME!
Moreover, the rate of taxation relative to GDP can affect the level of revenue and economic growth, per an extensive study by National Center for Policy Analysis. According to the study, on average maximum revenue is collected when the overal rate of taxation is approximately 43% of GDP. Similarly, on average, maximum growth is attained when the overall rate of taxation is approximately 20% of GDP. Though it is a play employed by many countries, higher taxes do not necessarily result in higher revenues. Tax avoidance increases with high taxes.