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Political Leader of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) HOn. Vance Amory compliments St. Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas on the presentation of the 2007 Budget Address. (Photos by Erasmus Williams. |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, DECEMBER 19TH 2006 (CUOPM) - The St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce has announced its support for the 2007 Budget as presented a week ago by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.
Support for the 2007 Budget Address has also come from the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Deputy Political Leader of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), the Hon. Malcolm Guishard; Political Leader of the CCM, Hon. Vance Amory and the Representative of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, the Hon. Patrice Nisbett.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Chamber said following a preliminary review of the 84-page Budget Address it has received the it with a measure of optimism" and is "heartened by Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas'
announcement that there will be no new taxes in the year 2007."
The Chamber said there are several matters which the Prime Minister either addressed directly or alluded to in his Address that it would wish to have consultations with Government.~~Adz:Right~~
These include Property Tax to be determined by market value rather than rental value and although no rate has as yet been given for this tax, the Chamber is of the view that it should be carefully applied; a new Transaction-based Tax system that is being considered by Government; Governments Land-Use Policy in the wake of the closure of the sugar industry and General tax collection in which the Chamber is of the view that Government should continue in its efforts to collect outstanding taxes rather than imposing a greater tax burden on tax-payers in good standing.
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Leader of the Opposition in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly and Deputy Political Leader of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Hon. Malcolm Guishard (l) and Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas in discussion follwing the presentation of the 2007 Budget Address. |
The Chamber said its spokesperson has indicated that there are several other matters on which the organisation wishes to have continuing dialogue and collaboration with Government.
These include the need for an energy policy; major international trade negotiations; the creation of an enabling environment for the development of a small and medium enterprise (SME) sector; and public/private sector partnership to address crime in the Federation.
In commenting on the 2007 Budget, the Chamber also used the opportunity to commend the Government for its recent approval of a new duty free shopping policy, a matter for which the Chamber said it has long advocated.
