The House of Assembly met Friday for just over 30 minutes in the “public interest”, to debate changes made to the Tourism Levy Bill 2019 by the Senate on December 11.
Speaker of the House of Assembly Arthur Holder told the Lower Chamber the request for the House to meet was made by the Senate to debate the resolution “seeking concurrence in the amendments made to the Tourism Levy Bill, 2019 and to lay the Caribbean Community Movement of Skilled Nationals Bill, 2019 and the Contract to the National Tourism Programme, 2019”.
The Speaker then read the amendments among which were deletions of words, deletions and replacement of definitions, for example ‘vacation rental property’.
“Vacation rental property means any property including a dwelling house, or house but not a guest house, hotel, or apartment which is registered with the Barbados Tourism Product Authority, that is systematically or periodically rented by guests during a calendar year and in which: a) a charge is made for the accommodation provided; b) sleeping accommodation is provided in one or more bedroom; c) the grounds and any common areas or recreational facilities are for the use of the occupants of a single booking; and (d) the property is managed by an individual, a company or real estate agent.”
After that, the contract was noted, and the first reading of the CARICOM related Bill was made.
The House of Assembly adjourned soon after for Christmas recess and was adjourned until Tuesday, January 14, 2020. (GBM)
