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Pegasus owner says…Jagdeo’s policy of frustration, discrimination and abuse continues
The Pegasus owner, Robert Badal, wants President Donald Ramotar to sanction Minister Irfaan Ali and remove him from the Tourism Ministry.
Robert Badal
The businessman claims that he is being sidelined from tourism-related activities by Ali, who is the acting Minister of Tourism.
According to Badal, this sort of practice started under former President Bharrat Jagdeo. He is demanding that taxpayers’ money be used in a fair way.
“I was hopeful that following the 2011 election, the new Donald Ramotar administration would ensure a better investment climate for the hospitality industry, removal of discrimination, and a level playing field for all.
“So far it would seem that Jagdeo’s policy of business frustration, discrimination and abuse of office and taxpayers resources is going to continue,” Badal said in a statement to the media.
Badal said that the Pegasus Hotel was excluded from a delegation to this week’s Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Caribbean Week event in New York. He added that the hotel was not invited to the Sustainable Development Conference held at the Princess Hotel from April 15 to April 18, 2012.
The businessman said that despite the fact that Pegasus is the local market leader in the hotel industry, the hotel has received no communication from Minister Ali since his appointment to the Tourism Ministry.
According to Badal, the Minister must be reminded that he is paid from, and is spending taxpayers’ resources, not his own, and therefore has a duty to all players in the local industry to represent their interest without any discrimination.
“Any favour to one player, and discrimination against another, is an abuse of his office for which severe sanctions must be imposed,” Badal declared.
He charged that under former President Jagdeo, the government was openly promoting the business of Princess Hotel by directing various Ministries to send their business to that hotel. Badal further charged that the very enactment of Casino Legislation was primarily to sell the Buddy’s Hotel by making it attractive to the purchaser.
“This kind of abuse must be condemned by the Private Sector Commission and all private sector bodies and other stakeholders, as well as, by Parliamentary opposition parties.
Irfaan Ali
“Under no circumstances would I tolerate any form of discrimination against myself in my own country,” Badal stated.
He said that Pegasus Hotel is the largest investor in the local hospitality sector, employing the largest number of people, and pays the most in taxes – in excess of $400M in VAT, Corporate and payroll taxes.
Badal claimed that Princess Hotel pays no Corporate Taxes under a tax holiday arrangement.
“Minister Ali’s action has clearly demonstrated to me that he has failed to bring any kind of leadership to this sector and would therefore inspire no confidence among leading players,” Badal stated.
This would impact adversely on investments and growth in the local hospitality industry and the economy as a whole, he added.
“As the largest investor in this sector I am calling on President Ramotar to remove Mr. Irfaan Ali from the Tourism Ministry.”
The businessman is currently spending US$8 million to upgrade the Pegasus Hotel, which he bought over from Le Meridien three years ago against strong opposition from the Jagdeo administration.
Badal is investing in the Pegasus at a time when he now has to compete with efforts by the government to establish a Marriott-branded hotel right next to his hotel.
“I have to pay taxes, and my staff members have to pay taxes even before they see their salary, and t
Bharrat Jagdeo
hat very tax is being taken to compete with us. It is fundamentally wrong; it doesn’t go well for investments by the private sector.”
He sees the Marriott project as a vindictive “sour grapes” response initiated by the former Jagdeo Government after it failed to secure the property for Jagdeo’s allies.
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