State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Senator Abka Fitz-Henley is commending employers who moved to give compassionate payments to employees who were impacted by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.

Fitz-Henley praised the employers for their generosity and employees for their resilience during his contribution on Friday to debate on a bill to amend the Income Tax Act to make the honorarium payments tax exempt.

The bill will also pave the way for the extension of the deadline for Corporate Income Tax payments from March 15 this year to April 15.

“I have always been of the view that it is important that in policy and statutory posture, any administration ensures that there is certainty that is offered to employees, employers and tax agencies, while at the same time ensuring that compassion and fiscal prudence are contemplated in law. It is in that spirit that this proposed amendment to the Income Tax Act, which pertains to compassionate payments made to employees during and after Hurricane Melissa, being essentially tax exempt, is important”, Fitz-Henley commented.

Minister Fitz-Henley framed the bill as another indication that Jamaicans have recently re-elected a caring administration.

He singled out Sandals Resort International and its boss, Adam Stewart, for publicly committing not to pursue any redundancies due to Hurricane Melissa’s impact.

Fitz-Henley noted that prior to and after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, many businesses moved to assist their employees financially.

“I want to join as well in commendation of all business owners who extended conscientious facilitation to their employees, including in particular the Sandals Group, which under the leadership of Adam Stewart, not only gave honorarium payments to their employees, not only furnished care packages, but also was early down the wicket in saying, despite the impact of Hurricane Melissa, they would not lay off one single employee. I believe that’s deserving of high commendation,” Minister Fitz-Henley commented.

The bill was approved in the Senate with two amendments.