Ever since the introduction of the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes by the Dr Eric Williams-led government back in the 1950s, taxes have been a contentious issue in the politics and lives of citizens of T&T, like they are of course in most other countries.
Taxes it is said are as inevitable as death and we here in T&T certainly have our share with PAYE, BIR, NIS, VAT, Health, Departure, Green Fund, Environment, Corporate, Stamp Duty, Road/Gas, Import, Land, etc, etc.
Not to be left out, the voice of the people has been transmitted via the social and political calypsoes of the day to the extent that the Mighty Sparrow's PAYE of 1958 captured the Road March title in that year!
Sparrow 1958 PAYE:
It's a shame it's a shame/
But we have we self to blame/
Because we ask for new government/
Now dey taking every cent/
Cost of living is the same/
So it's really a burning shame/
The doctor say to pay as you earn/
But Sparrow say you paying to learn/
And mih father say he sharpening de axe/
For when the collector come/
To pay off de income tax.
Then in the 1980's the much maligned Value Added Tax (VAT) was introduced by the ANR Robinson-led government with Winston 'Gypsy' Peters, in his calypso No VAT belting out:
Oh God Mr Robinson no VAT/
The people down here can't withstand dat/
Oh God Mr Robinson that's wrong/
VAT should be for countries where de prices are down.
Today in 2010, T&T is faced with yet another tax, the Property Tax, this time under the Patrick Manning-led government, and again the calypsonians' voices are being raised with calypsonians Tigress, Luta and Kurt Allen doing just that so that the current period in time is recorded for posterity and historical value.
Lady Tigress devotes her entire calypso Don't Touch Mih Cacada to the controversial property tax:
Where you going with dat big axe/
Coming for my property tax/
When on Udecott you so lax/
(No, doh touch me cacada)/
Why is on my pittance you start/
When you doh chain up Calder Hart/
All who tear de Treasury apart/
(no, doh touch me cacada);
Kurt Allen, who is a finalist at tonight's Dimanche Gras competition sings in one verse of his Too Bright on the property tax:
They bright they too bright/
That is why they nah run dis country right/
Property owners calling for the axe/
You encourage us to buy house/
But now want to kill us with tax.
Luta also does likewise in his My National Pride:
Tax mih property/
Take mih last penny/
And leave mih in poverty.
Another veteran Mighty Wanderer tackles an independent senator in his ME HEAR, a reference to her contribution in the senate on the property tax.