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First Nominated Member, Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for Tourism on Anguilla - Hon. Haydn Hughes |
Anguilla’s capital, The Valley, is located in the centre; an island about 17 miles long and 3 miles wide at it's widest point, 35 square-miles, with a population of about 13 thousand mostly English-speaking inhabitants and is a British Overseas Territory, one of the most unregulated free market economies on the planet, very little taxes, and one main Industry – Tourism.
But, are Goods and Services very much over priced on Anguilla? According to the Anguilla Taxi Rates Schedule (revised), cost can amount to US$36.00 max 2 persons, additional US$5.00 per person, US$1.00 each additional piece of luggage over 2 pieces... additionally 6 p.m. to midnight - US$4.00, midnight to 6 a.m. - US$10.00. This amount can easily exceed the cost of renting a vehicle per day.
Restaurants also charge an extra 15% mandatory service charge, often times not rendered, on an already minimum 80% to 800%, sometimes higher, mark-ups on goods and services.
In an attempt to improve the quality of the service and to potentially cut the cost of customers' meals, restaurants in many countries have cut their mandatory service charge. And though 99% of our customers on Anguilla just pay up, service charge for goods collected over the counter should be “discretionary”, especially in this economic environment. Neither should service charge be applied to groups of 4 or less customers in restaurants.
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| ... wow! |
If government really cares about the long-term success of this industry, it should sooner rather than later, enact legislation that will regulate taxi-fares, and make it illegal for restaurants to use service charges and tips to bring staff’s salaries up to an acceptable level. This means the urgent need for Minimum Wage legislation on Anguilla. This will be a welcome for diners who would no longer feel ripped by poor services.
A fragile Tourism Industry should not be burdened with the full weight of our incompetence.
By: Change Hope
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My sister was choked by a restaurant worker when she refused to pay the service fee, because no service was received.
ReplyDeleteTourists asking if the 15% service charge is a tip then told it's a government tax, tip on the meal price and the 15% service charge - this blatant rip off is why some don't go back to certain places anymore.
ReplyDelete