Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has again called on Government to desist from charging property tax on citizens who are already reeling from high food prices, high fuel prices, increasing transport costs and soon, higher electricity and water prices.
And she’s warned that if ownership of a property is changed, the tax attaches to the property and flows with it.
“We call on the Government to immediately cease and desist from this tax,” Persad-Bissessar said in Parliament yesterday in her 2024 Budget reply.
Slamming Government’s policies for working people, she said there can be no prosperity without job security.
Persad-Bissessar’s delivery was interrupted by Government MPs’ remarks, with House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George having to caution Finance Minister Colm Imbert.
Persad-Bissessar, who said the UNC is the voice of the working people, added that Government had refused to raise the minimum wage to $25 per hour to comfort the working class. She said the minor increase in the Budget to the minimum wage of $20.50 “is being celebrated by some businesses, who seem relieved that they wouldn’t be required by law to pay their workers a livable wage.”
“Security officers must guard the wealth of the rich while simultaneously being unable to feed themselves and their families,” she said, adding that PNM budgets only throw a pittance to working people.
“The Minister announces with fanfare, that property tax will only cost $648.00 per year. That’s because he is calculating on the lowest threshold. When this tax is implemented, citizens already reeling from high food prices, high fuel prices, increasing costs of transport, and soon higher electricity and water prices—will be further burdened.”
Persad-Bissessar added, “Property tax is charged on the property and not on the person. This means if ownership of the property is changed, the tax attaches to the property and flows with it.
“Where a person is unable to pay the tax, there are provisions in the law where Government has several options: they can sell your property to recover the tax owed to them, they can levy on your personal property—stove, fridge, microwave and other items, seize it, sell it and recover their taxes.
“And don’t believe because you have no deed, no tax will be charged on you. The law is wide to capture squatters, HDC homeowners, inherited property and private ownership.”
She said Local Government corporations will only collect residential taxes—not agricultural, commercial or industrial taxes.
“That goes to Central Government. The Property Tax will not be in addition to the allocations given to corporations. It will act as a set-off on the allocation they were granted.”
Persad-Bissessar listed views received from the Tobago Business chamber, JTUM, Amcham, Greater Tunapuna Chamber and other groups, as well as persons in UNC’s consultations.
Citing recommendations from the Autistic Society of T&T, Persad-Bissessar declared her interest, saying her granddaughter is on the autism spectrum.
She called on Government to immediately effect the fair resolution of all public sector collective agreements and queried if someone in Government has a mother who has been at the Arima Hospital for the past three months but doesn’t need care.
Persad-Bissessar asked Government to consider a sales tax to replace VAT and called for the VAT law to be amended. She also recommended a public forum on the foreign exchange issue.
Saying there’s been frightening energy sector contraction, Persad-Bissessar said the UNC wasn’t opposed to the Dragon Gas deal, but called for full disclosure on this, including when the gas will arrive in T&T and what the project will cost through NGC’s participation.
Persad-Bissessar, who criticised Government’s economic management and information on various aspects, added, “This Minister is a serial offender: each year he predicts growth rate and it never occurs...!”
She added that Government is very detached from reality.
“...Ministers Al-Rawi and Manning, who came from exceedingly privileged lives and know nothing of the ‘realness’ of life, were sent to speak on a post-Budget forum,” she said.