Johnny Bernal, president of the National Hotel &
Restaurant Association (Asonahores), warned that the hoteliers will remain firm
in their decision not to pay the 5% tax being levied on their services. Bernal
gave his statement after President Mej?a told his television audience that he
would use all mechanisms at his disposal to enforce collection of the new tax.
Bernal expressed his hope that the President would not use ?drastic and extreme?
measures, but instead allow the dialogue to continue.
When reporters on the program ?Una Vez a la Semana?, broadcast on the state-run
Channel 4, asked if there had been any sort of accord between the government and
the business community with regards to the 5% tax, Mej?a said that he was happy
to see CONEP express its desire to reach a cordial agreement, but that he had
made it quite clear he would not abandon his decision to collect the charge.
Bernal told reporters that his people are persisting in their conversations with
the government?s economic team.
Asonahores? leadership has asked its members to refrain from paying the 5%
surtax on their services until the Supreme Court rules on the legality of the
decree.