Dear Editor,
So what? They lied. Move on with your life. The country will be better off.
I am willing to pay a little extra so they can save face. I am loyal like that.
The taxi fare does not need to be increased. It’s just the people supporting the other party, the Opposition, trying to create mayhem. Take it from me, I drive my own taxi, I work 13 hours per day and use 35 litres of petrol. So with the $7 gas tax I will be using $245 more.
Now I am willing to pay $245 more per day so the 251,000 people can take home an extra $8,500 per month. Be realistic, people, the $7 gas tax will only cost us approximately $300 more per day. That’s not much to give up to make others and our country, in general, better off. The majority of taxi and bus operators don’t pay income tax, this is just a way to broaden the tax net.
What? Are we being punked? Jamaicans? Willing to pay more taxes to fatten the pockets of the middle class? Since when? You mean the same Jamaicans who couldn’t understand the value of purchasing an oil hedge to secure energy stabilisation? You mean the same Jamaicans who don’t want to pay for health and education? You mean the same Jamaicans who protested a $20 increase in bus fare? So all the cries of ‘pavati’ and ‘suffarayshan’ were all a hoax? The people no longer ‘need a break’? It seems like a magic wand sprinkled nationalism and ‘partnership’ over the island.
We cannot continue to deprive and tax ourselves into poverty. We are committed to principle and practice to real reform of the tax system. This means leaving you with more money in your pockets to spend and to save. Please note, this doesn’t apply to the taxi drivers. ‘This means lower taxes and a business-friendly tax system. Again, not applicable to taxi men. So teachers, nurses, policemen and young people starting out in life, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) will give you a break because you need one.
The JLP slammed all critics and remained resolute that their plan was airtight and there was money available to fund the plan without taxes. But there’s a saying in Jamaica, “Man a plan an God a wipe” and boy, Peter Phillips really wiped away Audley’s plans with the truth. Phillips had estimated that the ‘prosperity plan’ would leave a shortfall of approximately $30 billion. Shaw quipped that Phillips was “bad mind” and it’s because he knows the plan will work he wants to sabotage the plan. Only for him to now basically admit that Phillips was right; and because Phillips was right he has to tax us. Blame it all on Phillips. It’s his fault we are paying taxes to fund a tax break.
With Phillips being right and all, we are all now asked to raise $13.8 billion in taxes to fund a tax break for 251,000 PAYE workers with benefits to trickle down to non-PAYE workers (except the taxi men). But $13.8 billion subtracted from 30 billion is $16.2 billion, so taxi drivers better start those engines! You got taxes to pay!
I have come to the realisation that supporters of the JLP are simply breathing a sigh of relief because they had very little faith in the practicality and sustainability of the initial plan and they feared their party would collapse even before they started. So, for them, a lie or two was worth it. This plan is better than no plan. They are politicians; that’s what they do.
Rhonda Williams
cinnydspice@yahoo.com
So what? They lied. Move on with your life. The country will be better off.
I am willing to pay a little extra so they can save face. I am loyal like that.
The taxi fare does not need to be increased. It’s just the people supporting the other party, the Opposition, trying to create mayhem. Take it from me, I drive my own taxi, I work 13 hours per day and use 35 litres of petrol. So with the $7 gas tax I will be using $245 more.
Now I am willing to pay $245 more per day so the 251,000 people can take home an extra $8,500 per month. Be realistic, people, the $7 gas tax will only cost us approximately $300 more per day. That’s not much to give up to make others and our country, in general, better off. The majority of taxi and bus operators don’t pay income tax, this is just a way to broaden the tax net.
What? Are we being punked? Jamaicans? Willing to pay more taxes to fatten the pockets of the middle class? Since when? You mean the same Jamaicans who couldn’t understand the value of purchasing an oil hedge to secure energy stabilisation? You mean the same Jamaicans who don’t want to pay for health and education? You mean the same Jamaicans who protested a $20 increase in bus fare? So all the cries of ‘pavati’ and ‘suffarayshan’ were all a hoax? The people no longer ‘need a break’? It seems like a magic wand sprinkled nationalism and ‘partnership’ over the island.
We cannot continue to deprive and tax ourselves into poverty. We are committed to principle and practice to real reform of the tax system. This means leaving you with more money in your pockets to spend and to save. Please note, this doesn’t apply to the taxi drivers. ‘This means lower taxes and a business-friendly tax system. Again, not applicable to taxi men. So teachers, nurses, policemen and young people starting out in life, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) will give you a break because you need one.
The JLP slammed all critics and remained resolute that their plan was airtight and there was money available to fund the plan without taxes. But there’s a saying in Jamaica, “Man a plan an God a wipe” and boy, Peter Phillips really wiped away Audley’s plans with the truth. Phillips had estimated that the ‘prosperity plan’ would leave a shortfall of approximately $30 billion. Shaw quipped that Phillips was “bad mind” and it’s because he knows the plan will work he wants to sabotage the plan. Only for him to now basically admit that Phillips was right; and because Phillips was right he has to tax us. Blame it all on Phillips. It’s his fault we are paying taxes to fund a tax break.
With Phillips being right and all, we are all now asked to raise $13.8 billion in taxes to fund a tax break for 251,000 PAYE workers with benefits to trickle down to non-PAYE workers (except the taxi men). But $13.8 billion subtracted from 30 billion is $16.2 billion, so taxi drivers better start those engines! You got taxes to pay!
I have come to the realisation that supporters of the JLP are simply breathing a sigh of relief because they had very little faith in the practicality and sustainability of the initial plan and they feared their party would collapse even before they started. So, for them, a lie or two was worth it. This plan is better than no plan. They are politicians; that’s what they do.
Rhonda Williams
cinnydspice@yahoo.com