Page 34 - TTC 27 JULY 2015

TRANSFER TAX
is not part of the
Fiscal Reform
ATIA President, Michelle Henriquez
along with a few other ATIA members
met with Minister Angel Bermudez
who has a really good relationship with
ATIA.
ATIA regularly meets with all Ministers, Reform by the end of this month.
but decided to meet with Minister
Bermudez this time, to receive an
up-date on how the Fiscal Reform is
progressing and to talk about their
concerns like the CAFT and numerous
BONAIRE DELEGATION
visits Aruba’s farms
ARUBA TRAVELLER - Monday, July 27 2015
other laws.
Michelle Henriquez mentioned that the
meeting went well and that Minister
Bermudez informed them that ATIA
will receive more details on the Fiscal Fiscal Reform and that the Minister of
The Government wants to introduce
the ABB tax which will be charged at
the border, but ATIA wants to know
which taxes will be eliminated and
which taxes will be decreased so the
system can remain in balance. AHATA
Minister Bermudez told ATIA CEO of AHATA Mr. Jim Hepple was also
that his goal is to provide more part of this meeting. AHATA is in favor
income for the Government of a fiscal reform and it was made very
while fighting the illegal clear during the meeting that the fiscal
activities currently taking place reform is a simplification of tax system.
on our island. Mr. Hepple is very happy that AHATA
Professor Vermeend will be gets to be a part of the Governments’
visiting Aruba soon to help brainstorming process before they
with the Fiscal Reform, which make a final decision.
means that the Fiscal Reform
will become clearer by the end Regarding the Transfer Tax Jim Hepple
of August or the beginning of mentioned that if the purpose is to
September. really fun some projects AHATA does
not agree with it.
The transfer tax which ATIA They didn’t even mention the exchange
has been very concerned about was rate tax which will affect the tourist
also discussed, but Minister Bermudez industry.
told ATIA that this is not part of the
This measure will generate 15 million
Economic Affairs Mike de Meza is in florins for the Government; instead of
charged with providing information introducing an additional tax why not
about the Fiscal Reform, and Minister use the funds from the exchange rate
de Meza has informed that this is still tax to cover project costs.
an idea, no official decision has been The transfer tax will increase tourist
taken yet. As soon as a decision is made expenses which isn’t good for our
ATIA will be informed. tourism according to Jim Hepple.
THE mushroom farm, coriander nursery and dragon fruit
plantation were visited last week by the Bonaire Directorate
of Agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries (DLVV). The
delegation consisted of Deputy Gerald Silberie, Pieter Barend
Dutch representative on Bonaire and Sherwin Pourier DLVV of
Bonaire.
Led by Nathalie Maduro, Director of Santa Rosa, they spent
Thursday visiting the abattoir, the wine grape plantation and the
mushroom farm. During lunch at Nos Clubhouse in Hadicurari,
the delegation was briefed on Aruba’s fisheries. Friday the group
visited the dragon fruit plantation, Cunuco Aruba Dushi Tera
and coriander nursery. The aim of the visit was to see how Aruba
is doing in the field of agriculture and animal husbandry. A
delegation of Santa Rosa went to Curacao and Bonaire last year
for the same reason. Maduro announced that a platform will be
formed between the DLVV of Curacao, DLVV of Bonaire and DLVV
of Aruba to assist each other in investigations and work together.
“Both islands have the same vision,” Maduro said. “We want
to set up projects to motivate teenagers to work in the primary
sector. That is very important for the islands food supply.”
3LOCAL