PM urges parents to buy PCs through schools

[Lazie]

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is advising parents wishing to purchase computers for their children, to do so through schools in order to avoid the General Consumption Tax.

In a release from his office Friday, the Prime Minister repeated an earlier advisory to the public that computers that are purchased by schools, universities and educational institutions are exempt from tax.

Speaking earlier this week on his "Jamaica House Live" call-in radio programme, Mr. Golding responded to the concerns being expressed about taxes on computers.

He said the majority of the computers being brought into the island are not being used for learning.

According to Mr. Golding, banks and various business operations have thousands of computers and as such could not be allowed to get them tax free.

He said those items for entertainment or business, such as lifestyle magazines and computers for banks and insurance companies would now be taxed.

http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/17616/26/

[Jawge]

now that's really weak.
Come on Brucie don't tell me that someoen buying
and bring one computer through the airport is using it for banking, lifestyle magazine and insurance.

The banks, insurance co. buy computers in bulk hence they cannot escape customs and taxes.

Ok let's say you have ponit on computers brucie. please explain the books.
To evade taxes the poplulace hasto buy through schools? Are you planning on swapping places with Fidel?

Ja is doomed.

[Willi]

I see, you start from a fixed conclusion and work backwards! Plain as day what your mindset is.

[Historian]

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is advising parents wishing to purchase computers for their children, to do so through schools in order to avoid the General Consumption Tax.

He said the majority of the computers being brought into the island are not being used for learning.

I understand Golding’s point when he seeks to separate the educational from the commercial use of computers in economically-challenged Jamaica. Certainly, a much preferred scenario would be to remove the duties on all computers coming into the country, but budgetary needs has made it vital, it seems, to tax computers imported by organizations for business purposes.

The main problem I see with this suggestion of buying computers through an educational institution is that schools will now become the new middleman. Does this mean that a parent purchasing a computer for her children will get a fair deal, or will some schools attempt a fundraising effort by upping the cost of the computer sold to the parent (that is, GCT in a new form)?

Also, will all principals be equally enthusiastic about actually assisting needy parents?

[Assasin]

good points.

[Jawge]

I give you this much: you are glimpsing.
Let me give out because I didn't know it was so hard to see.
The man is setting Ja to have "black market" (should change the black but that's another thread )

None of his advisers can't see this? The only thing good I see coming out of this is that the haitians may be instructed to bring books and computers instead of guns (seeing that computers and books are very lucrative).

I will leave the issue alone: you guys are correct Ja is on its way to prosperity.