Chief Executive Officer of The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association Rudy Grant says they are satisfied that government has not increased the VAT on rooms to 15 percent as was recently touted.
Mr. Grant speaking this morning as the association held its first breakfast meeting for the year, called on the members to share the burden of the tax.
The business community says it is in agreement with most of the budgetary measures outlined by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley last night.
Speaking at a post budget discussion at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre this morning, President of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ezra Prescod said he thought Ms. Mottley’s measures were fair and aimed to encourage confidence in the economy.
But Mr. Prescod also expressed concern about the increase in property taxes.
The Enterprise Growth Fund is seeing an increase in the number of people who are interested in starting renewable energy businesses.
Speaking during a media briefing this morning, the fund’s chief executive officer, Timothy Simmons, said they are facilitating Barbadian entrepreneurs in an effort to expand the renewable energy sector.
He added that over the years the fund has disbursed 214 million Barbados dollars in loans to 331 small and medium size enterprises.
Friday January 4th is the last day to apply to take part in the Barbados Revenue Authority’s tax amnesty program.
The scheme allows people to bring their taxes up to date without incurring penalties.
The BRA’s communications manager Carolyn Williams Gayle says their offices have seen heavy traffic throughout today.
The state-owned Transport Board says it’s doing its best to have an adequate number of buses on the road by the start of the new school term next week, but its Board Chairman Gregory Nicholls warns that the board continues to have challenges.
Speaking in an interview with Starcom Network News, Mr. Nicholls said they now have more buses available than during a particularly difficult period late last year, but are not yet up to the number he’s aiming for by month-end.
Mr. Nicholls notes that the age of the fleet is a big problem.