Roll back air Travellers’ TAX says PDM 

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, July 17, 2023 – ‘Crazy’ is how the PDM is describing the government’s plan to charge returning residents a $10 fee whenever they enter the country by air.

Edwin Astwood, Opposition Leader; Alvin Garland, PDM Appointed Member and Robert Been, Deputy Leader all slammed the measure calling for the government to course correct. Ezra Taylor, National Party Chairman was also present at the press conference.

“I think it’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard that a citizen or resident of the Turks and Caicos has to pay a ten dollar tax to return home,” Astwood maintained.

And that’s how the Opposition sees it, as a sneaky tax imposed by the government.

“I’m of the same view as my Leader. I don’t believe our people should be taxed whether it’s a dollar or five dollars. I believe that  If [it] was their intention there were a lot of different measures that could have been put in place to avoid locals being taxed,” said Been.

Referencing the COVID system where residents were exempt from presenting certain documents and the system ran smoothly he said there was no excuse for the levy.

“With NIB increases and cost of living increases every dollar adds up. If we were the government— if anybody had to be taxed it would be the visitors.”

Garland used it as another reason why the PDM could not sign off on the Destination Marketing and Management Organization, which the $10 dollar levy will fund, citing too much secrecy.

Even though the cash technically wasn’t much Astwood said it was the principle of the matter

“It isn’t about the amount. Why should I have to pay a tax to return home?” The opposition leader contended. “When we first saw it we thought it was just something for visitors.”

That seems to be the general consensus among residents and media who were not alerted to the fact that residents would be included until just before the bill authorizing it hit the house.

During the press event, the PDM also announced that it had filed for a judicial review of the Destination Management and Marketing Organization, which as of July 1 replaced the TCI Tourist Board.