A SCOTS PR agency is claiming at least some of the credit in a decision by the Westminster government against implementing VAT in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Says Media House International, its “aggressive campaign” has contributed towards a “dramatic U-turn”, announced in a letter from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
Reports www.caribjournal.com, the decision – announced by Westminster minister, Mark Simmonds MP – was also “a victory for TCI Premier, Dr Rufus Ewing, who had campaigned heavily against the tax since taking office in November”.
Says a Media House media release: “[Chair, Jack] Irvine (pictured), and his London-based colleague Ingrid Ugland, lobbied British MPs and peers and provided research on the unsuitability of VAT in small island communities to local TCI press and Caribbean media.”
The islands are a British Overseas Territory.
Irvine is quoted, as saying: “We are seeing this pattern repeated throughout the Caribbean – bullying of local business men and politicians by HMG. One has to visit there to truly appreciate the contempt held for the British Government by many decent, hard-working people in the Caribbean.”
