Nisbet Plantation Beach Bar Restaurant
Photo courtesy of Nevis1.com
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
June 02, 2009 (CUOPM)
The St. Kitts – Nevis Government has taken measures to keep employees of stand-alone restaurants employed in light of the global economic crisis.
The St. Kitts Investment Promotion Agency (SKIPA) is reminding owners and operators of restaurants that the stimulus package for “Full Service-Stand Alone Restaurant” is designed to assist these establishments which are heavily dependent on tourism to continue to provide a number of employment opportunities for locals.
The 12-month relief period will also assist businesses to keep staff employed and give them an opportunity to upgrade their facility.
The package approved by Cabinet will allow qualifying restaurants permission to import food and wine duty free over a 12-month period.
“Duty free means the import duty and consumption tax will be waived and a 12 percent Customs Service Charge will become payable on the said items. During this period qualifying restaurants will also be allowed a one-time duty free concession on cutlery, plates, glasses, furniture, kitchen appliances and equipment,” SKIPA said in a statement Tuesday.
It reiterated that in meeting the criteria of a “Full Service-Stand Alone Restaurant,” each qualifying business will be required to submit a monthly Statistics form that records employment figures and the quantity of local produce purchased by the restaurant.
The restaurants that participate in the programme are expected to maintain their obligations to the Inland Revenue Department and Social Security or risk losing concessions until they are in good standing with these institutions.
The criteria for the Full Service-Stand Alone Restaurants Stimulus Package include possession of a valid business license, pays the 9 percent Restaurant Tax, must be in good standing with Social Security contributions and the Inland Revenue Department; all employees must have a Food Handlers License and 75 percent of the workforce must be local.
Restaurants must also provide full service of food, drinks and wine to the table, has a wine list, kitchen is housed in a solid and proper building with its own bathroom facilities and proper disposal of garbage, must be willing to accept local students on job training attachments and help to market the destination.