I think it is wrong that the Payrol Tax Department, under the Bermuda Government, should not be “defining” their perception of “Retail” classification in business in order for the ‘retail sector’ to apply for the six month tax relief due to the ongoing hard recession Bermuda is experiencing (partly due to the recession and partly due to lack of Tourists and the work permit rule control making foreign workers leave the Island).

The term “retail” as it stands in the Bermuda law, should be what is acceptable for any payroll tax relief that the payroll tax department is giving out.  If they want to change the term for retail, then they should change the law to agree with the term.  Not change THEIR meaning of the word retail and which businesses should be able to take advantage and which are not.

We should not allow this.  Do it the proper way.  If you want to offer relief to “RETAIL” then offer it as it currently stands in the law of “RETAIL BUSINESS” and not come up with your own definition and publish it in the newspaper that this is what you’ll ACCEPT as retail business. 

Please STOP dictating.  I encourage the payroll tax department to please START to offer REAL incentives and REAL changes.  If you want to help Bermudian’s and businesses, offer a relief for the business portion of the payroll tax due in all sectors of the local business industry.  Or, offer a discounted payroll tax for all sectors – say 4% across the board.  Retailer’s, while having major problems in obtaining decent sales, are not the only businesses that are struggling. 

Offer a tax discount to businesses that employ Bermudians – say NO TAX on employing a full slate of 100% Bermudian staff members, 75% tax releif to businesses employing 75% to 100% Bermudian staff, 50% tax relief to businesses employing 50% to 75% staff, and so on.  That’s a greater incentive than saying you must hire Bermudians, or you must hire black Bermudians.  What do you think??