The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said as of May this year, $4.2m in tax concessions have been granted to inner-city communities affected by the Economic Empowerment Zones Act.

“These have included waiving business license fees and stamp and real property taxes,” he said while closing debate on the budget in the House of Assembly yesterday.

“This facilitates lower costs for the purchase of commercial vehicles and building materials. I would like to remind residents of the Over-the-Hill community that under the Economic Empowerment Zone Act of 2018, you are also eligible to access tax concessions for the building and repairing of homes and other buildings.”

The Over-the-Hill initiative was launched in 2018 to great fanfare from the Minnis administration and was among Dr Minnis’ main proposals as leader of the opposition. Through the programme, people can import materials for constructing, equipping and completing buildings without paying taxes if they qualify.

Dr Minnis said: “We are also continuing to invest in our inner-city communities. Increasing water connectivity in Over-the-Hill communities is one of the commitments of this administration. To achieve this goal, the installation of water mains and lateral lines, as well as repairs to damaged infrastructure are ongoing. Such works are completed on Quakoo Street. On Wednesday, June 16, works began on Bola Avenue and are scheduled to be completed in upcoming weeks. Forthcoming areas also include Filnest Close and Spray Team Lane. The Over-the-Hill Community Development Partnership Initiative is also currently working alongside the Water and Sewerage Corporation to facilitate residents getting their water turned on.”

He added that the Over-the-Hill Initiative continues to partner with BTVI to enrol inner city residents in certification courses and job readiness programmes.

Such initiatives, Dr Minnis said, promote employment and contribute to the social empowerment of these residents. The graduation of the current cohort of Over-the-Hill residents is scheduled for June 25. Additional BTVI and Small Business Development Centre courses are being planned for cohorts specifically from the Over-the-Hill community.