This is according to Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), who was questioned on the matter during a press conference on Friday, January 28, 2022.

Hon Fahie informed members of the press that the levy being collected has not yet been used.

While he did not provide a figure on the current balance of the fund, visitors entering the territory via any designated port of entry started paying the levy on September 1, 2017.

Climate Change Board

“Whatever monies being collected, is being collected …and remember when it passed the law was specific as to where it had to go to and some of that includes going to the Climate Change Fund so those monies are still there in the fund so to speak for when the Climate Change Board comes into force which will be very soon,” he said.

Premier Fahie further explained that when the Climate Change Board comes into force, “they will use it accordingly as to how the law dictates it will be used.”

He added: “So it has not been misused or it has not been used at all other than for what it was legislated to do.”

The Climate Change Fund Board was installed in 2017 and was later revoked by Cabinet on April 24, 2019.

Background

The Environmental Protection and Tourism Improvement Fund Act 2017, which was passed on June 9, 2017, makes provision for certain categories of persons to be exempted from paying the said fee.

Some of the exempted categories include residents and belongers, officers of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, guests of the Government, official representatives of the government of any country or territory or persons with diplomatic privileges, among others.