TCIG UPDATES ON AGREED MEDIATION WITH BEACHES
TCIG has been informed, that Beaches is, regrettably, no longer willing to engage with it in a mediation concerning its outstanding tax liabilities. This is a mediation that TCIG has said for many months it was prepared to participate in, and in respect of which an agreed mediator had been selected and a date set.
We note how disappointing it has been that Beaches has seen fit to publish unnecessary and misleading press statements, by which, amongst other things, Beaches sought, it seems, to bully, coerce or cajole TCIG into acceding to Beaches’ demands. We are conscious that our people found this name-calling by Beaches offensive, and this Government has certainly felt that Beaches’ conduct has not been consistent with the proper mindset expected of a party seeking to take part in good faith discussions about their liabilities.
To draw a line under those undercurrents in recent press attacks levelled by Beaches against TCIG, and lest it be alleged again, whatever decisions Beaches and its off-shore owners have taken not to reopen the doors of their Turks and Caicos Islands resort cannot be properly or coherently linked with that tax dispute or its resolution.
It remains a great pity that Beaches has proven unwilling to date to reopen its doors. TCIG, just like every citizen of TCI, is not one to leave its colleagues, unreasonably as they may have behaved, to face economic hardship alone. It is the intention of TCIG to meet with critical stakeholders to hold urgent discussions as it relates the impact on airlift and other logistical issues that follows as a result of Beaches’ decision to remain closed at the beginning of the peak season, which is of such a critical importance to the Islands.
It goes without saying that TCIG is readily aware of the difficulties that the Covid-19 pandemic has presented and poses for business operating not only in TCI but worldwide. It goes further without saying that we remain, as ever, here to support our commercial colleagues, including Beaches TCI, in these unprecedented times.
Needless to say, we will entertain those reasonable, proper and lawful requests that Beaches might have for assistance and we will continue our willingness to engage in discussions (facilitated or otherwise), in good faith, with a view to ultimately arriving at a workable resolution for both parties. Equally, TCIG will never close its ears to sensible proposals for ways to take Beaches’ relationship with the citizens of TCI forwards in an equitable manner.
ENDS