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Govt to address Green tax issue

An aerial view of the Fairmont

MPs have today passed the Hotel Concessions (Fairmont Hamilton) Order, clarifying concessions granted to the owners of the Fairmont Hamilton Princess.The order was brought before Parliament after an oversight in the original agreement giving the Green family tax breaks in their $70 million redevelopment of the hotel.Although Opposition MPs slammed Government for allowing a "breakdown in communication" to occur, the order was passed without objection.Last night Mr Crockwell declined to comment after the broadcaster VSB reported the Green family were “reassessing their future investment in Bermuda” after being mistakenly promised a bigger concession than the $3.3m provided in the Act.Government Whip Cole Simons then said that the issue would possibly be addressed today.“We may amend a previous Hotel Concessions Order that was crafted for the [Fairmont] Hamilton Princess Hotel,” he said.The Green family had pledged to pump $70 million into the hotel after buying up the flagship resort in September 2012. Renovation work is due to get underway in the autumn, and be completed by next summer.Also up for debate in today’s Parliamentary session is a recent review of the Bermuda Hospitals Board, conducted by Canadian consultant Howard Associates.Health Minister Patricia Gordon Pamplin moved a take note motion on both Howard’s findings, and a special report by the Ombudsman, who conducted a review of how the consultant carried out its review.The motion had been scheduled to be debated in the House last week, but Shadow Health Minister Zane DeSilva was off Island at the time.It is not known if another take note motion held over from last week — that Government reports should be laid before Parliament within 30 days after receipt by the responsible Minister — will be debated today.