Quote Originally Posted by jsteil View Post
Also a lot of the resorts are not owned by Jamaicans or Jamaican companies. My bet is that a lot of the money is leaving the island. Some of those resorts don't even buy food from Jamaica and have food transported by cruise ship from other countries like the United States. The only money making its way to the Jamaican government and people is the tax and money spent between tourist and locals.
jsteil,

I think you are misinformed, but even the foreign owned resorts have to pay taxes to the government. There is their corporate income tax, the GCT on all purchases the guests make (the total AI bill, the room, bars, restaurants, stores besides the duty free) as well as the new room tax which hits the larger mega resorts such as foreign owned Spanish chains the hardest, the charge is per room per night:

1 to 50 rooms US$1
51 to 100 rooms US$2
101 rooms and over US$4

If by chance a resort chain gets a cruise ship to deliver their food, they still have to pay import duty taxes just as in all imported goods. They are simply using the cruise ship instead of a cargo ship - but the import duties work exactly the same.

And many of the "international" chains on the island such as Margaritaville, KFC, Burger King, etc are owned by Jamaican franchisees and work exactly the same way franchises work in North America. One difference is that the successful ones use local Jamaican products when possible, such as KFC which uses local poultry and Burger King using Jamaican beef, lettuce, tomatoes and potatoes. One extreme example how important this is can be demonstrated by the McDonald's franchise chain that failed in Jamaica. They chose to import all their products and Burger King countered with advertisements that they used Jamaican products and people voted with their dollars and the McDonald's chain is no longer on the island.

And contrary to what rumor and speculation is spread all over the Internet - Margaritaville is locally owned by Island Entertainment and pay franchisee royalties to Jimmy Buffett. Island Entertainment also supplies products to many of the island's international chain restaurants and creates many jobs here in Jamaica.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/busin...W-JOBS_9363337

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...business6.html

The foreign owned chains of course have to pay their employees, so that money makes it directly in the hands of the locals.

And in case you didnt know, SuperClubs Resorts, Couples Resorts, Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts are all Jamaican owned. These chains are instrumental in charity projects all over island including building schools, parks, libraries, medical and other community services.

I am constantly puzzled why people tend to think that the Jamaican government would not look out for their own interests. And with the IMF overlooking every deal made, they have to make sure that international deals are made in order to be able to repay the IMF loans...

Why people think this is beyond me... especially with all the proof available to the contrary.