To the Honourable Premier, Members of Cabinet, and the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands:

We, the undersigned business owners, residents, and stakeholders of North and Middle Caicos, respectfully submit this petition requesting the suspension of the proposed new business licence fee structure pending proper consultation and a comprehensive review of the economic realities of the various islands within the Turks and Caicos Islands.

We wish to state at the outset that we are not opposed to the principle of increasing government fees. We understand the Government’s need to review its fee structure, particularly after several years without adjustment. However, while we support fair and reasonable increases, we are deeply concerned that the proposed business licence fees reflect a one size fits all, cookie cutter approach that does not fairly account for the significant differences between the islands, their economies, and the realities of doing business in each.

The cookie cutter approach to business licensing has existed for too long in relation to the outer islands, and it is now time to abandon that model. It is neither sustainable nor fair, and it does not support economic growth or the development of local businesses in North and Middle Caicos and the other outer islands. A uniform approach to fees may be administratively convenient, but it fails to account for the very different realities facing businesses outside of Providenciales. If the Government is serious about encouraging local enterprise, strengthening the outer islands, and ensuring that Turks and Caicos Islanders can meaningfully participate in their own economy, then the fee structure must be revised to reflect those realities.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are made up of different islands and cays, each with its own level of population, commercial activity, infrastructure, market size, and cost of doing business. Providenciales, as the country’s main economic centre, enjoys a level of customer traffic, access, and business opportunity that is significantly different from what exists in North and Middle Caicos. Applying the same or similar fee burdens across such different economic environments is neither equitable nor economically sound.

A business licence fee structure should reflect the actual conditions under which businesses operate. Instead, the current proposal appears to apply broad increases without sufficient regard for the differences in economic scale, customer volume, profitability, or operating costs from one island to another and from one business category to another. This creates the impression that the structure was not fully thought through and that insufficient attention was given to fairness, proportionality, and practical impact.

One example of this concern can be seen in the treatment of rental car businesses. Under the proposed structure, a small operator with just over 10 vehicles may be required to pay the same annual licence fee as a much larger franchise operating in Providenciales with a significantly larger fleet and a far greater customer base. The issue is not simply the increase itself, but the fact that the same fee can be applied to businesses of dramatically different scale, operating in completely different economic environments. This illustrates the wider problem with the current approach.

A further example is the disparity between the fee applied to the ferry service and the fee applied to certain rental car operators. The ferry service, which serves as a major gateway for passenger movement and a direct beneficiary of the economic activity connected to North Caicos, is subject to a comparatively low business licence fee, while smaller businesses that depend on the traffic generated by that ferry service may be required to pay substantially more. Whether one looks at this from the standpoint of market access, customer volume, or economic benefit, this comparison raises legitimate questions as to whether the proposed fees were properly assessed across sectors.

These examples are not raised to single out any one industry, but rather to demonstrate a broader concern: the proposed fees do not appear to reflect a balanced, well reasoned, and proportionate policy. A structure of this importance should be grounded in consultation, economic analysis, and a genuine appreciation of the differences between islands and industries. Without that, the result is a fee regime that risks being viewed as arbitrary, unequal, and unfair.

We therefore respectfully call on the Government to:

1. Suspend the implementation of the proposed business licence fee structure;

2. Undertake meaningful consultation with stakeholders across the islands before implementation;

3. Review the fee structure to ensure that it reflects the differing economic realities of the various islands;

4. Reassess the proportionality of fees across sectors and business categories; and

5. Introduce a fairer and more reasoned framework that supports economic growth, sustainability, and equal opportunity for businesses throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands.

We respectfully submit that fairness does not require that every island or every business be treated identically. Rather, fairness requires that differences in economic reality be recognised and that the fee structure be designed accordingly. Our concern is not with change itself, but with a structure that appears to impose uneven burdens without sufficient justification.

We therefore urge the Government to pause the implementation of the proposed fees, engage in proper consultation, and carry out a more careful and informed review before proceeding.

Respectfully submitted,

The Business Community and Supporters of North and Middle Caicos