Hotel concessions do not take money out of the tax system, Payroll Tax Exemptions do. The estimated Tax reduction with the Payroll Exemption was around $50m a year. A Hotel Concession allows construction to take place that would not take place without the tax break. No construction, no tax so a Nil result. That employs people and at the end should enable more people again to be employed in the hotel. Ironic of course is that due to the Payroll Tax exemption, the Government doesn’t benefit from what should be tax revenue.
The answer is not simple, but does require more visitors staying in hotels.

For Alvin, a polite comment that it is “its” in the possessive form – “it’s” is only used for “it is”. Enjoy Sunday all.

London, England

We need to realise our worth and start negotiating from a position of strength, not by legislative fire sales.

London, England

Since I am dead wrong, get a LAWYER to explain what I have said. Even those who cannot grasp the concept or fail to see the difference, in law, deserve respect.

Ringmaster…I am stating that the concession should be legally tweaked to bring the hotel owner into the equation of liability as the concession is given to him to improve his property. In return his must fulfil the requirements as set out by the Government, i.e., to to hire, train and promote Bermudians, and his management team or general manager must fulfil the requirements on his behalf. It must be set out in legislation.

And you are correct, the Green family, under the present Concessions Act, does not have that legal obligation.

Goodnight, Sandy Bottom!

London, England

Maybe the confusion is between the Hotel Concessions provisions and Payroll Concessions which have been in place for around 4 years covering hotels and restaurants. Payroll concessions would be more applicable to be the responsibility of the operator, but not the property owner.

Still, your comments do seem to agree the point that as things stand there is no connection between the Green family and the former employers of the people let go.

“In the absence of an OBA Jobs plan for Bermudians, we renew our call for the government to implement the PLP’s Jobs Plan as laid out in our Reply to the Throne Speech.

Enjoy the weekend…hope it refreshes you so much more !!

The OBA supporter is not led by the nose & intimidated to follow without question. If the OBA supporter disagrees he/she speaks up. As much respect as there is for Minister Fayhy, this time there are those who think he is wrong.

This is not a team sport where one blindly follows in the name of winning the prize.

The media cannot stop you from expressing your point of view, just block you from using their format to express it. However, the law will stop you as there are certain freedom of expressions that are unlawful.

I have always held the belief that those who post under false names do so ONLY to be vicious to others under a false identity. And you express that perfectly.

London, England

It is then hotel owner’s responsibility to ensure that his management company or general manager fulfils the TERMS of the concession.

You make the owner accountable, that way, under law, he is liable.

The hotel owner must ensure that his management company or general manager fulfils the legal obligation.

London, England

LOL all I’m sayin on this.

I actually call you a groupie, and you are.

You are like like that little fruit fly, just won’t go away lmao.

I notice you can’t address the point I made. The concession was not given to the employers of the people let go. Too subtle for you?

You two should get together, and go somewhere lol.

Now Mr. Fahy doesn’t share your opinion, ad now he is wrong too? lol

IF you two don’t realize, what the hotel done was underhanded, and Mr. Fahy has called them out on it.

I find it funny how the GM got rid of these guys on Friday, and is gone before the dust even settles.

Please also provide at least five examples of sustainable, workable and realistic PLP suggestions to improve our economy for 2014.

A qualified Bermudian will get hired ANY DAY over an equally qualified expat. The key word there is QUALIFIED.

Bermudians grow up with a sense of entitlement… And then the tides shift… And all of a sudden being Bermudian isn’t enough.

Trump, please quit your lies, you are HURTING BERMUDA and BERMUDIANS.

A landlord of a shop premises has no control over who is or is not employed by the lessee. This is essentially the same thing. The operator of a hotel, when it employs someone, is not acting as an agent of the property owner.

The only exception to this might be a small independent hotel, where the owner and the operator is the same entity.

If you link Government concessions to job creation and training and the management fails to reach those targets, the Government can legally require that the value of the funds are given back to the Government from the hotels profits. In other words, if the Government gave a hotel $10million in concessions and they failed to reach their targets on job creation and training then they can demand their $10million back from the hotel with interest. That is an example.

Needless to say hotel owners will place the accountability, transparency and responsibility on their managers, and managers who cost the hotel owners money will not be their managers for very long.

I am not saying what the Government will do because I do not know, however, there must be consequences, proscribed into law, for their (hotel owner and management) failure to live up to their end of the granted concessions.

London, England

Stay off the personal smear and read, digest and give a compliment when it’s due, be a part of the solution, you can assist your political party more effectively, if, when your cannot give constructive critique, at the very least you can be silent.

Sometimes freedom of expression does not always have to be expressed.

London, England

Hence why there are no mandatory clauses in the Hotel Concessions Act passed by the PLP a few years back.

But it doesn’t matter as it seems both Parties agree that going forward this must be amended and I agree with both.

Who would of thought there would ever be a day when all three of them agree on something? I can understand the PLP & BIU not understanding the separation between hotel operator & hotel owner but I am very surprised at the OBA.

Mr Roban, I was in agreement and in admiration of your statement UNTIL commercial immigration. You know that commercial immigration is NOT about everyone else reaping from Bermuda whilst Bermudians stand on the sidelines, it’s about investment – millions of dollars in investment – if they (OBA) strike the right balance.

Yes, I can argue both sides of this fence on commercial immigration because it does have merits, but I am yet to see the OBA convince us of its merits for Bermuda – the proportional balance.

What will commercial immigrants get? I know that it’s not a Bermudian or British passport, that door will close December 2014 when the UK starts to issue all passports from the UK. They (UK) will NOT allow Bermuda to grant any citizenship that will automatically allow these foreigners access to both the UK and the EU countries. So, either they (commercial immigrants) will get another form of PRC or the UK government will be a vital negotiator in this process.

Nonetheless I have digressed from the main issue, government concessions should be linked to job creation and training for Bermudians. But who would have thought that Bermuda would be in this sustained negative economic downturn? So yes, amendments to legislation is required – immediately. But isn’t there a team of Alan Dunch, Wendell Hollis, Chris Furbert, etc, looking into new employment legislation also? Enacted with concessions there should be legal sanctions put in place for employers who do not adhere to these laws, rules and/or regulations.

The succession line (it sounds like a living trust) and workforce diversity? But legislators can get very creative here. It just goes to prove that job losses have a very rippling affect on Bermuda’s socio-economic landscape and there must be continuous tweaking to keep the balance as foreign investors watch very carefully for signs that will convince them invest with confidence.

London, England

Yes, I can argue both sides of this fence on commercial immigration because it does have merits, but I am yet to see the OBA convince us of its merits for Bermuda – the proportional balance.

What will commercial immigrants get? I know that it’s not a Bermudian or British passport, that door will close December 2014 when the UK starts to issue all passports from the UK. They (UK) will NOT allow Bermuda to grant any citizenship that will automatically allow these foreigners access to both the UK and the EU countries. So, either they (commercial immigrants) will get another form of PRC or the UK government will be a vital negotiator in this process.

Nonetheless I have digressed from the main issue, government concessions should be linked to job creation and training for Bermudians. But who would have thought that Bermuda would be in this negative economic downturn? So yes amendments to legislation is required – immediately, but isn’t there a team of Alan Dunch, Wendell Hollis, Chris Furbert, etc, looking into new employment legislation also? Enacted with concessions there should be legal sanctions put in place for employers who do not adhere to these laws, rules and/or regulations.

The succession line (it sounds like a living trust) and workforce diversity? But legislators can get very creative here. It just goes to prove that job losses have a very rippling effect on Bermuda’s socio-economic landscape and there must be continuous tweaking to keep the balance as foreign investors watch very carefully for signs that will convince them invest with confidence.

London, England