Dear Editor,
The people are crying out to Rome and asking Peter ‘Julius Caesar’ Phillips, have you no mercy?
This is in response to the finance minister’s recent announcement in the House of Representatives of his Government’s intention to raise $2.25 billion in new tax revenues by introducing a graduated tax levy on persons withdrawing monies, via electronic banking, credit/debit cards, point of sales, cheques, ABM, ATM or ETM, over the counter, Internet transfer from deposit institutions, such as banks, credit unions, and security dealers, etc.
Let me get this straight, if I am paid via direct deposit by my employer, and I withdraw funds to pay my bills, I will be assessed a withdrawal tax?
Let’s go a step further, if I go to the supermarket to buy my basic food items and I use my debit card, then I will be taxed GCT for the items, plus this new withdrawal tax? I ask again, Peter ‘Julius Caesar’’ Phillips, have you no mercy?
Scripture says in Mark 12: 17, “Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,” but what if Caesar continues to use his boots to step in one’s throat and is constantly strong-arming the suffering people to pay more taxes?
It appears that the silence is deafening from the stakeholders, and I ask, where are the business owners, the private/public sector workers, the churches, the civil society groups, the social workers, the pensioners living on a fixed income, and the common man, where is the outrage?
Who will speak for the masses? This draconian tax measure will discourage people from depositing money into financial institutions. They will find ways to mitigate this new tax by saving their money in their homes, which is very risky because one may become the target of burglars.
Recently the Government signed into law the Proceeds of Crime Act, which makes it a criminal offence for anyone to transact business in cash with more than $1 million. If so, you can be charged with money laundering for not going through a financial institution.
So one must ask, did the banks and the Government (Caesar) strategise, collude and orchestrate this tax-generating levy?
It is a double-edged sword for the depositor because if you deposit your money in the bank you will be charged withdrawal fees, if you save your money at home you may be a target of robbers or you might be charged. The people are awaiting a response, Peter ‘Julius Caesar’’ Phillips.
Patrick Callum
patrickcallum@yahoo.com
The people are crying out to Rome and asking Peter ‘Julius Caesar’ Phillips, have you no mercy?
This is in response to the finance minister’s recent announcement in the House of Representatives of his Government’s intention to raise $2.25 billion in new tax revenues by introducing a graduated tax levy on persons withdrawing monies, via electronic banking, credit/debit cards, point of sales, cheques, ABM, ATM or ETM, over the counter, Internet transfer from deposit institutions, such as banks, credit unions, and security dealers, etc.
Let me get this straight, if I am paid via direct deposit by my employer, and I withdraw funds to pay my bills, I will be assessed a withdrawal tax?
Let’s go a step further, if I go to the supermarket to buy my basic food items and I use my debit card, then I will be taxed GCT for the items, plus this new withdrawal tax? I ask again, Peter ‘Julius Caesar’’ Phillips, have you no mercy?
Scripture says in Mark 12: 17, “Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,” but what if Caesar continues to use his boots to step in one’s throat and is constantly strong-arming the suffering people to pay more taxes?
It appears that the silence is deafening from the stakeholders, and I ask, where are the business owners, the private/public sector workers, the churches, the civil society groups, the social workers, the pensioners living on a fixed income, and the common man, where is the outrage?
Who will speak for the masses? This draconian tax measure will discourage people from depositing money into financial institutions. They will find ways to mitigate this new tax by saving their money in their homes, which is very risky because one may become the target of burglars.
Recently the Government signed into law the Proceeds of Crime Act, which makes it a criminal offence for anyone to transact business in cash with more than $1 million. If so, you can be charged with money laundering for not going through a financial institution.
So one must ask, did the banks and the Government (Caesar) strategise, collude and orchestrate this tax-generating levy?
It is a double-edged sword for the depositor because if you deposit your money in the bank you will be charged withdrawal fees, if you save your money at home you may be a target of robbers or you might be charged. The people are awaiting a response, Peter ‘Julius Caesar’’ Phillips.
Patrick Callum
patrickcallum@yahoo.com