Whilst I support measures to limit the impact of irresponsible drinking on Anguilla - including enforcing strict liability on the sale of alcohol to persons under the age 18-yrs; a no-drink-no-drive legislation for Anguilla which will give the police the necessary powers of enforcement; seriously revisiting the Alcohol Licence Legislation e.g. making illegal the further serving of any alcoholic beverage to an intoxicated person etc. – any resolution to increase the duty on alcohol would place an undue burden on responsible drinkers.
It has been hinted that the Government of Anguilla intends to increase the duty on alcoholic beverages from 25% to 40%. That’s a 15% increase... which is excessive.
By introducing a sudden, significant duty increase on alcohol, there is likely to be considerable damage to small businesses on Anguilla.
Increasing alcohol duty will take us back to the years when smuggling was almost legal. Alcohol is a main engine driving the tourism product in the Caribbean, where tourist and locals alike regularly substitute water for beer.
Parents (mostly men) who are alcohol-dependent may have to wrestle with their addiction and putting food on tables for their kids.
The price of an average beer or lager on Anguilla is US$2.00 to US$6.00, with a mix-drink starting from US$6.00 to extravagant - some of the highest around the world and likely to increase; while the price of buying in supermarkets can become onerous.
But where is the positive, since increase duty on alcohol is not in an effort to protect any small brewery, fruit producers, distillers, small businesses or bars on Anguilla, and will only hurt the Tourism Industry, Small Business Industry and can have a spiral negative social impact on Anguilla – hurting consumers when they have little else to cheer about?
An increase may not significantly boost Anguilla’s revenue since merchants and consumers looking for duty-free options instead may very well look at direct imports out of Europe.
The domino effect can be a socio-economic catastrophe.
It has been hinted that the Government of Anguilla intends to increase the duty on alcoholic beverages from 25% to 40%. That’s a 15% increase... which is excessive.
By introducing a sudden, significant duty increase on alcohol, there is likely to be considerable damage to small businesses on Anguilla.
Increasing alcohol duty will take us back to the years when smuggling was almost legal. Alcohol is a main engine driving the tourism product in the Caribbean, where tourist and locals alike regularly substitute water for beer.
Parents (mostly men) who are alcohol-dependent may have to wrestle with their addiction and putting food on tables for their kids.
The price of an average beer or lager on Anguilla is US$2.00 to US$6.00, with a mix-drink starting from US$6.00 to extravagant - some of the highest around the world and likely to increase; while the price of buying in supermarkets can become onerous.
But where is the positive, since increase duty on alcohol is not in an effort to protect any small brewery, fruit producers, distillers, small businesses or bars on Anguilla, and will only hurt the Tourism Industry, Small Business Industry and can have a spiral negative social impact on Anguilla – hurting consumers when they have little else to cheer about?
An increase may not significantly boost Anguilla’s revenue since merchants and consumers looking for duty-free options instead may very well look at direct imports out of Europe.
The domino effect can be a socio-economic catastrophe.
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