Senate approves amendment to Registration of Business Names Act
November 07, 2006
The Senate last Friday passed the bill amending the Registration of Business Names Act, which prevents local businesses from any form of advertising without being registered with the Companies Office of Jamaica (formerly the Office of the Registrar of Companies).
The bill was passed without any amendment despite objections from Opposition members Senator Anthony Johnson, the Leader of Opposition Business; and Senator Dorothy Lightbourne that the provision would create hardships for very small businesses.
Lightbourne said that small business persons, like housewives operating from their homes to supplement the family income, could be prevented from advertising their businesses, although their returns are very low.
She said that the Senate, in passing the amendment, should ensure that the minister of industry, technology, industry and commerce takes these small businesses into consideration in setting the threshold.
"They would not be able to advertise, and it could create hardships and I don't think that we can close our eyes to that," Lightbourne insisted.
But Senator A J Nicholson, the Leader of Government Business, who piloted the bill, felt that there was no need to change the amendment.
"In recent times, we have heard a lot about the protection of little people, which is good, but what this bill is about is to protect members of the public from persons who conduct business who are not registered," he said. "Whether they are big or small, if they are not registered, they are not allowed to advertise."
Senator Johnson noted that the provision also referred to any individual, and could also affect someone who wished to sell cheap items, like cookies, which could add to an amount above the threshold after several transactions....
Author: Balford Henry
Source: Jamaica Observer
