The famous US presidential campaign line “read my lips, no new taxes” no longer applies to Finance Minister Richard Gibson after he announced plans for a departure tax at the airport and ferry landings (see related story). The income-generating measure is to produce 9 million Antillean guilders on an annual basis.
For travellers by plane the proposed levy comes in addition to Princess Juliana International Airport SXM accommodations fees said to total US $36 on international flights. Any increase in cost to visitors who drive the local tourism economy should obviously be handled with great care, but NAf. 10 (US $6) per person is probably not going to keep anyone away, certainly when compared to other destinations in the region, including Anguilla which reportedly charges US $30 on top of its airport fee.
Important is that introducing the proposed tax does not create yet another bureaucratic layer that leads to more nuisance and congestion for passengers. This means it must be either incorporated into the existing fee structure or have a highly efficient collection method that won’t delay the process.
True, NAf. 9 million may seem like a drop in the bucket considering Government’s current financial challenges, but one has to start somewhere. A reasonably-priced mandatory driver’s licence and moderate excises or higher turnover tax rates on now ridiculously cheap alcohol and tobacco products are also realistic options, because in the end it all adds up.
