Providenciales, 21 Aug 2015 – Leader of the PDA party, Oswald Skippings agrees with the PNP Administration’s move to dramatically reduce the duties for stores at the Grand Turk Cruise center from 10% to 4%.
Skippings said he had suggested it a long time ago as it was causing a decrease in interest by Carnival Cruise lines and demoralizing the vendors and store owners whom, he says, had seen shopping take hit.
Skippings said: “While it is commendable that government has taken my advice, it is now incumbent on the Government to ensure that the reduction in duties for the Grand Turk Cruise Port is not simply restricted to the expatriate businesses, but that those local vendors at the Port and in the town area also benefit from that duty concession…” the Progressive Democratic Alliance leader continued with, “In fact, government must put in place a policy inclusive of all local tourist gift shops to benefit from the duty free exemptions throughout the Islands, so that our small local vendors do not continue to be at a disadvantage.”
