PNP newly supports Service Charge, calls on Premier to ensure passage in Parliament

Turks and Caicos, March 22, 2017 – Providenciales – There is fresh focus on getting hotel employees that contentious and sorely missed 100% service charge which means significantly more take home pay for thousands of industry workers.

Appointed member of the Opposition PNP, Royal Robinson has issued statement calling on the Premier to step up to the plate and to deliver on her impassioned position.  Robinson cited comments made by the Hon Sharlene Robinson when she was Leader of the Opposition in parliament and summoned action in the House of Assembly to see what was a resolution and a private members motion be reinstated as TCI law.

Hon Royal Robinson also corrected that it is not gratuity which needs to be fixed, but the service charge which guests pay.   “I am therefore calling on the Premier to move a motion in the House of Assembly to have this amendment Bill be taken through its three readings at this sitting and that she ensures its passage in the House by impressing upon her colleagues to support this bill as they did the Resolution that she had previously made.”

A change in the law would give hotel workers 100% of the service charge collected, and not just the 40% they are reportedly now receiving.   Ironically, the Progressive National Party as government did not support the resolution on gratuity or the private members motion on service charge when they were brought to the House.

According to Clarence Selver, then a PDM appointed member, who tried to get the service charge motion passed just before the General Elections, the Rufus Ewing administration was actually trying to block his presentation on the matter.  Member Royal Robinson now reminds that all eight PDMs voted for the gratuity resolution in April 2016 and that because the Governing PNP sustained it, it was carried.

Magnetic Media reached out to Clarence Selver who explained that the motion by Sharlene Robinson last year did not address the correct ordinance and so was ineffective; Selver explained that the bill which he tabled in October 2016 did address the 10 year old problem more accurately but he said, “it did not garner the support of either side when I made the motion to have the majority of the House stand with me…”   On the day the motion was to get a second reading, the House was prorogued as General Elections were called.

Today, the House of Assembly reconvenes for business.

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