By Lynaire Sweeting

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

AN INCREASE of 2,900 per cent in the occasional licence fee has disappointed some event promoters, many of whom say the rise is neither fair nor reasonable.

The occasional license fee for public entertainment increased from $25 to $750 on July 1.

The Department of Inland Revenue (DIR) has said the increase applies to ticketed for-profit events, exempting churches and civic organisations.

“I realised that churches are exempt from a lot of things,” said Makonnen Thurston, an event promoter and disc jockey who said his community finds the increase discouraging.

“For example, churches don’t have to pay customs on equipment like sound, lighting, but mind you, it’s understandable because we’re a Christian nation.

“But then, at the same time, if there are exemptions for specific organisations that are already very profitable, it’s like trying to keep a poor man poor.

“If there is some kind of tax, it should be, even if there’s like, a discounted rate for specific organisations, it shouldn’t be an exemption.”

Shunda Strachan, comptroller of the Department of Inland Revenue, said the fee increase is intended to “even the playing field”. She said the department’s studies show that the sector’s income is sizable.

But Terran Bevan, whose stage name is Dj OneTime, said he has been in the entertainment industry for 14 years and believes the increase will strain the finances of promoters because of the many expenses involved with hosting events.

“It will turn people off from going about it the right way, to be honest,” he said. “Because I will be real, ones like me, I ain’t paying no $750. If I have ten events a year, I have to pay $750 every time?”

An occasional licence is granted for a maximum of four events per year. Ms Strachan has said the increased fees must be paid by people hosting events on public premises.

“We just need to have it clear from the government what exactly public property is, and once we get that, we’ll be guided appropriately,” said Jayson Brennen, co-owner of Mas Khaos Carnival Band.

“I just can’t stress enough the fact that they said that this is something that business owners like me can afford because we make enough money as it is,” he added.

“It just was really disheartening to see. I don’t expect them to call up every single business that may be impacted by this, but I can pretty confidently say that no one would say, ‘yeah man, increase it from $25 to $750, that straight, we can handle it.”

Owner of Popstylers Entertainment, Pedro Bethell, said the occasional license fee would impact what businesses charge customers.

“I could see them saying $250,” he said. “250-$300 max, but you jump straight to $750? Now your customers or your clients are affected. You have to pass that on to them.

“So now that you are doing a ticket for like $25, you have to put that extra five onto the ticket.

“It forces you to pass it straight onto the client.”

He noted that the increased fee comes with no incentives like greater police presence at events.