Government listening to business, claims Hew

| 27/03/2018 | 36 Comments

(CNS): Commerce Minister Joey Hew has said that government has been listening to the business community and is focused on addressing the red tape and other challenges faced by entrepreneurs, removing some requirements in the licensing process that have been found to be unnecessary. “Helping businesses succeed is an important goal for government,” Joey Hew stated, following the passage of amendments to the Trade and Business Licensing Law during the last sitting of the Legislative Assembly. 

“These changes are a key strategy to cut the red tape and bureaucracy that hinder the growth of businesses,” he said. “We have been listening to the concerns of businesses, and we are working to create a more business friendly environment with tangible benefits, that will allow entrepreneurs to flourish.”

He said the efforts to improve the system will culminate in a better and more streamlined experience for business owners.

“Providing more support to businesses, particularly small and micro businesses, as well as assisting Caymanians who want to start or grow their own businesses, is a key priority for government and my ministry,” he added.

Changes include the exemption of Caymanians, permanent residents and holders of residency and employment rights certificates who have been living in the Cayman Islands for five or more years from having to provide a police clearance certificate when submitting an application.

It also provides for the Trade and Business Licensing Board to obtain documents that are current and relevant to the application directly from the relevant public authorities or government agencies. Officials said that change significantly reduces the burden on the applicant and makes the application process more streamlined and manageable.

Applicants seeking a T&B licence will also be able to self-validate their health insurance and pension information on the application form, which will then be sent to the relevant government agencies to cross check. This will eliminate the need for applicants to provide proof of compliance, while first time applicants will no longer be required to provide the information.

Efforts are also underway to facilitate online submissions of applications and renewals, as part of a wider e-government initiative, which is expected to launch mid-year.  The ministry will also conduct a comprehensive review of the law later this year.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Tags: ,

Category: Business

Comments (36)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Rp says:

    “Providing more support to businesses, particularly small and micro businesses, as well as assisting Caymanians who want to start or grow their own businesses, is a key priority for government”

    First govt should get their house in order. Can’t account for money collected and spent, inefficient services, and now they want to provide support services to private sector which operates much more efficiently?

    7
    1
  2. Anonymous says:

    This is an unsubstantiated claim.
    Our politicians would be fired if they worked for Dart.
    Hahaha. Let the fun begin.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Despite there not being a definable business case for the port, or the “go-east” fiber initiatives…so much for listening.

    8
    1
  4. Anonymous says:

    I also think, if government wanted to help, that people should be given 12 months to apply for all necessary licenses. The set-up costs for micro businesses runs into $000’s of dollars which is required before you even open your doors. If you have a 12 month grace period to secure all the necessary red tape it may encourage people to try without this unnecessary expense. In the event that the business idea fails (which a lot of them do) then at least you’re not left with dormant companies and associated liabilities. What do you think Minister Hew?

    4
    1
  5. Anonymous says:

    Typical – looking out for business. What about protection for employees and consumers? Employees are being robbed of pension and suffer without health insurance whilst consumers are robbed through ridiculous pricing.

    10
    8
    • Anonymous says:

      Yes but businesses have little say over Pension. That Ponzi scheme is mandatory so the money people in the Markets can take risks with it and…..

      8
      2
    • Anonymous says:

      Isn’t it a legal requirement for employers to ensure employees are covered for health and pension? Are you therefore implying there is widespread disregard for this law and thus lack of enforcement?

      11
  6. UnCivil Servant says:

    Former Minister Wayne Panton must be gutted to watch the PPM colleagues that voted the law in with much fanfare are now allowing Hew and Big Mac to dismantle the T&B law. They are taking out important provisions like the need for insurance and pension mandated by other laws associated with labor and business.

    Does the right hand know what the left is doing? Has the ministry done a comparison and cross referencing of related legislation and impact or is it all being done in the name of unity? I hope Hew takes the credit for this new ppm flip flopping and disaster.

    25
    4
    • Anonymous says:

      DCI needs a complete overhaul. They make it next to impossible for a Caymanian owned small business to start up. No help and no personalities in one of the most important departments in government

      19
      1
  7. Anonymous says:

    Sort out Planning in fact the entire GAB get them to answer the phone and return emails. Businesses only get paid when the job is done so if you want to help give them 2 weeks to review plans they will want changes anyway. The review time should take no longer than a month , not the 4-6 months it is currently taking.

    30
    2
  8. Anonymous says:

    Forget business owners. They are thieves.
    I needed an electrical part that cost 387 us, but here it is 2000 ci !!!
    What about test strips for diabetes people. 50 strips for 46 ci, while in Florida the same strips 6.75 us. And not covered by the insurance thanks to Eden.
    Politicians should do something about this, not trying to protect the greed of their friends and sponsors.
    Disgusting.

    38
    1
  9. Anonymous says:

    Well done Joey.

    9
    24
  10. Anonymous says:

    Has Joey visited the Public Beach recently?

    40
    1
  11. Anonymous says:

    the situation at public beach is a perfect reflection of the failures of ministers like joey hew and incompetence of cig.

    42
    1
  12. Anonymous says:

    As a self-employed Caymanian owning & running my own business, I am required to have TBL, prove pension and health insurance annually to renew my TBL to allow me to operate as a ‘sole trader ‘ under the law. Why are these beach vendors allowed to operate without complying with any of these requirements? What does the government see as the difference that separates these individuals from myself and all of the other law abiding business owners, whether they be solely Caymanian owned and operated ,or not? It is expensive to operate a small business , but we continue to do so and comply with the trade & business licensing laws . I’d like to see government illustrate why there are two sets of rules here. If they cannot, the only outcome the general public can view is that there are two systems in operation , one system lives under the heading titled law abiding business owners and the other lives under the title of exempt from operating under the law.

    46
    1
    • Anonymous says:

      That is because they need the votes so can stay in power, just ask that new party whip Mr. Harris. You think any of our elected honchoes want to loose there cushy high paying jobs? Come on now sir, what is wrong with you asking questions like that.

      11
  13. Anonymous says:

    Apply the trade and business laws across the board. No exceptions for beach vendors.

    The whole mess at the Public Beach could’ve been easily avoided if the CIG had stopped the first vendor when he initially set up shop. What did they do? Tried to find a way to accommodate the vendors rather than stopping the problem in its tracks! I am so frustrated by this mess that I’m now happy to watch the disaster unfold and seeing the incompetent CIG scramble for a solution.

    The latest solution? Spend ‘public funds’ to improve restrooms and stalls for vendors, effectively facilitating the growth of problem, encouraging more vendors to come on down and setup shop. Madness!

    There will soon be an outright war between vendors as they quarrel over OUR Public beach space. Someone will get hurt and sadly our tourists have a front seat view to the event.

    The buck now stops with Mr. Hew as commerce minister.

    38
    2
  14. Anonymous says:

    Hews listening? How’s Hew Listening? Hew’da thunk…

    15
    1
  15. Anonymous says:

    Every business needs to have pension and insurance it is in the law doesn’t the minister know this?

    28
    1
  16. GT voter says:

    Mr. Hew stop blowing smoke and sort out the mess that is the Public Beach. Platitudes about small businesses are meaningless as the Minister of Commerce responsible for DCI if nothing gets down immediately. In fact why is are you allowing that madness to continue at the Public Beach? The ppm have done nothing for the last five years for a situation that is getting worse. Do your job and enforce the laws instead of making exceptions for a few votes. If you fail to act as minister in the way you failed to act as councilor for Tourism it will prove that you’re as useless as the rest of your colleagues who created and helped to facilitate the mess down there that is now a national embarrassment to the Cayman Islands.

    34
    1
  17. Anonymous says:

    Joey Who?

    17
    2

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.