Gov't faces more protest against budget

[Lazie]

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

KINGSTON transport operators yesterday vowed to withdraw their services later this week if Government fails to withdraw the $8.75 tax on gasoline.

Motorists yesterday paid as much as $73.73 per litre for 90 octane gasoline and $70.80 for 87 octane at the pumps as gas stations across the Corporate Area adjusted their prices to incorporate the tax which has been imposed on gas.

The demand from the taxi operators, represented by the Jamaica Association of Transport Owners and Operators (JATOO), came on the eve of today's meeting with Transport Minister Mike Henry.
"We want an immediate rollback on the gas tax; if the tax cannot be rolled back we want a 30 per cent fare increase for all taxi operators," said Louis Barton, convenor of the group.

Members of the Port Antonio Tours and Taxi Association also called yesterday for the rollback on the tax on gasoline, but did not say if it would be withdrawing its services this week.

Minister Henry - the Cabinet minister who led Government's campaign for the imposition of the gas tax - is scheduled to meet with the Kingston transport operators today in the first of a series of discussions to explain the reason for the imposition of the gas tax.

In the meantime, the youth arm of the Opposition People's National Party (PNP), yesterday took to the street to protest against the Government's tax package.

The PNPYO, led by its president Damion Crawford, marched from Hagley Park Road to Jamaica House where they delivered a letter addressed to Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

The young politicians, in their letter, called for a rollback of the general consumption tax (GCT) on items that were previously zero-rated and a withdrawal of the $8.75 tax on each litre of gasoline, among others.
"The People's National Party has always been a party for protest over riots and so we will be protesting continuously until the prime minister gives us audience," Crawford said before he handed over the letter addressed to the prime minister to Dr Ronald Robinson, the deputy foreign minister.
Jamaica House, in a statement later, said Prime Minister Bruce Golding had noted the concerns of the PNPYO, but said he expected Opposition spokespersons to put forward the concerns in the budget debate which continues today with the presentation of the Opposition spokesman on finance, Omar Davies.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...NST_BUDGET.asp

[Mosiah]

Di minister wrenk, bout di taxi operators must absorb di increase. Outa ordah!

[Lazie]

Di minister wrenk, bout di taxi operators must absorb di increase. Outa ordah!

What he said was they got an increase when gas prices was much higher and now that the prices have reduced, the fare increases wasn't rolled back ...that wrenk?

[Mosiah]

Yes!

And what do you mean by much higher? How much higher was it?

Thanks for not answering!

[Lazie]

Yes!

And what do you mean by much higher? How much higher was it?

Thanks for not answering!

When gas was more tha $80 per liter they got an increase .. didn't they?

[Mosiah]

Much higher, huh? So how much yuh tink gas is now?

At least there was hope then as most people felt those oil price increases were nothing more than idle speculation. The 8.75 is reality and will not fluctuate!

[Lazie]

Much higher, huh? So how much yuh tink gas is now?

At least there was hope then as most people felt those oil price increases were nothing more than idle speculation. The 8.75 is reality and will not fluctuate!

Really? Didn't unuh all laugh at the former minister when he said he expected the price of oil to decrease? Suh how yuh come wid spin bout hope now?

Listen, nobody don't like the idea of paying taxes ... but based on some of what I'm hearing people only a mek up noise without any serious considerations. Yes ... express outrage yes, but what else should be done to finance the budget? One analyst this morning pointed out when oil was almost U$150 p/barrel last year, people didn't reduce their travels in Jamaica. Suh why the fuss?

Yuh want hope .. well at least there is the hope that a portion of the money will go to fixing roads.

[Willi]

Wait, what was gas price last year when oil was $147 a barrel? Did they drop fares when oil dropped to $50 a barrel?

Just asking.

[Lazie]

Wait, what was gas price last year when oil was $147 a barrel? Did they drop fares when oil dropped to $50 a barrel?

Just asking.

No ... hence the point by the Minister that Mosiah see as being wrenk.

[Assasin]

People in Ja nuh realise what a clock a strike.

Just go a meeting where everybody pay cut by 2.5% and job cuts coming. Nobody is immune and even with the suggestion of not laying off anybody and cutting the work days the big head them not listening and this is the public sector.

The amount of people who get can in the states in nuh funny. Nuff friends at home now a study them next move and these are people who worked with companies such as Sprint, DHL and public sector.

Make the gwaan. Them better buy some a the ethonal gas and drive slower fi save some a the gas.

What unemployment rate Ireland have? Right before the downturn them dida big people fi work over there or at least the time I visited.

[Karl]

I'll go back to what I said - It is simple the people are trying to 'hold on'...the government must find a way to not 'loosen the people's grip and cause a 'falling'.

There is the reality of unemployment, underemployment and the doors of the education institutions openning and pouring out a horde of new additional unemployed (seekers of employment). That is the reality.

The past tightening of credit, inceasing of taxes and contraction of the workforce...does not add up to 'peace and quiet' in the land! If Sass cannot see that...

...so the alternative is to widen the tax base and increase taxation measures while at the same time make investments that moves us towards greater prosperity. Those investments make for the absorbing...moving of vast numbers of the people from unemployed into being employed.

I do not see how that cannot include 'running the printing presses' and putting people to work on rehabiting and build infrastructure.

I would love for Lazie and Sass to lay the framework on what they would have the government do with those 'tons' of unemployed, underemployed...those due to come out of the education institutions in a few weeks...NOW!