The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce has sent out the following questionnaire to their members seeking their views on Sunday Trading:

For many years, merchants and businesses have been at odds about whether the Sunday Trading Law is being enforced fairly among all businesses.

The Law lists 19 categories that are exempt and are allowed to remain open on Sundays. Businesses that are currently allowed to trade on Sunday include: druggist shops and dispensaries, restaurants, hotels and lodging houses, establishments such as motor vehicle repair shops and service stations that sell motor fuel and oils, establishments selling bread, ice cream, non-alcoholic beverages, milk, newspapers, bottled water and water in bulk, establishments governed by any law in force regulating the sale of intoxicating liquor, establishments approved by the Cabinet by publication in the Cayman Gazette for the sale of duty-free goods, establishments concerned in water sports or sightseeing attractions, establishments in a hotel that sell souvenir items, toiletries and medical supplies, establishments that sell funeral caskets or flowers, establishments that sell victuals stores or other necessities required for a ship or aircraft on arrival at or immediately before departure from a port or airport in the Islands, hairdressing and beauty salons, airline and shipping offices, establishments carrying on retail business at an airport, establishments concerned in the rental of motorcars, motorcycles or bicycles or in the rental or charter of boats, establishments engaged in the sale or supply of toiletries, establishments engaged in the sale or supply of baby products (other than clothing or toys), establishments concerned in the provision of such essential services as may be prescribed by the Cabinet by order, establishments in Grand Cayman selling, mainly to tourists, duty-free goods, locally produced goods or souvenir items, in relation to those goods, during the permitted opening hours of the prohibited days (public holidays).

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, several stores that are not included on the exempted list have remained open for business on Sunday in violation of the law. Has the time come to review the Sunday Trading Law to determine whether amendments are required.

The Council is seeking your views on this important subject. Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey.

The results will be tabulated and submitted by Council to Government. All responses will remain confidential.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.

END

The questions are:

1.         Do you support allowing all businesses the option of opening on Sunday?

2.         Do you support amending the Sunday Trading Law to prohibit all businesses with the exception of those serving tourists and emergency services from opening on Sunday?

3.         If all businesses were permitted to open on Sunday, would you open your business?

4.         Is your business currently allowed to open on Sunday under the Sunday Trading Law?

5.         Do you believe Sunday Trading would diminish Cayman’s quality of life?

For more details go to:

http://www.caymanchamber.ky/survey/sundaytrading.html