St. Maart: Stifling small business?

PHILIPSBURG-Changes to two Island Ordinances governing the collection of fees for business licences and the annual business licence fees were passed by a vote of five to four during a three-hour sitting of the Island Council Monday.

These changes mean that everyone applying for a business licence is now required to pay the same flat fee of NAf. 1,550 (up from NAf. 1,250 for small businesses). The same amount has to be paid annually by all businesses to renew their licences. The new fee is effective immediately and is retroactive to Monday, March 1.

The changes, which Finance Commissioner Sarah Wescott-Williams and her colleagues on the government benches argued were necessary, were fervently opposed by members of the opposition People's Progressive Alliance (PPA) and National Alliance (NA) on the grounds that they would stifle micro businesses and deter small entrepreneurs from setting up shop.

Small businesses are the backbone of any economy. It's not a wise government that creates policy that that would negatively impact on the increase in the number and expansion of small businesses. More small businesses equals more jobs, equals more tax revenues, equals better fiscal health for the country. What's so hard to understand about that?