In a novel move, the Private Sector Commission and the two trade union bodies, the TUC and FITUG have written the Speaker of the National Assembly and the government and opposition sides of the House seeking dialogue on key provisions of the 2017 budget.
The signed letter from the trio cited Article 13 of the constitution which caters for the involvement of civil society in decision making. The trio in their correspondence to Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland, Leader of the House for Government Business, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo cited a range of provisions in the 2017 budget that they have concerns over including VAT, taxation on key services and the proposed garnishing of accounts of delinquent taxpayers by the GRA.
They are seeking dialogue before the budget process is concluded with the clear aim of having changes made to the various provisions they have issues with.
