The announcement that an additional 40 items were to be zero-rated brought hope to consumers that their worries would be at an end. They anticipated that consultation would have taken place with the Guyana Consumers Association and other bodies that showed concern for the small man.
That was not to be. The announcement of the 40 additional items came out of the blue with no means of determining who had indicated what items should be added to the list. Flour has been omitted and flour is used in every household in Guyana. The omission is perplexing. It was not government’s intention to raise food prices, so why has flour been omitted?
Also omitted were many items that were zero-rated for consumption tax. These are for use in agriculture. Some of the items were listed in my last column. Bush cutters, chainsaws, fogging machines, portable sawmills, small land tillers are now taxable. Large land tillers are VAT free.
Consumers are told that VAT is not new, that the tax is present in developed countries. But in developed countries social security is provided by those who govern and consumers can lobby their MPs. We hear of single parents with infants receiving special treatment. There are unemployment benefits. In Canada the elderly are treated with special care and schizophrenics receive monthly allowances. In Germany rents of houses do not exceed a certain percentage of incomes. The state assists with the excess rent.
In Guyana it is now extremely difficult to rent a house. Advertisements boldly state that the apartments or houses are for overseas visitors. The rentals of many are beyond the means of the small man.
When Dr Ashni Singh called an impromptu meeting of organizations some weeks ago, there was hope that we were at last entering an era where consultation would be the norm. There has been no follow up to that meeting and we are back at the stage where consumers are in a ‘take it or leave it’ situation.
Consumers are fuming at having to pay VAT when they are already contributing to the government’s coffers by way of income tax..
Guyana is not an easy place in which to live. We now have to be on the lookout for African bees. If one or two bees are seen in your neighbourhood, you should follow it up. A hive may be hidden in an old container or box.
Guyana Water Inc, instead of improving its supply of water after receiving an increase in rates, leaves households without a drop of potable water for hours on a stretch.
Some consumers complain of fungus on their skin and no one can tell you the cause.
Guyana Power and Light is allowed to continue to ignore a Joint Statement that was signed by its Public Relations Officer and the head of the Guyana Consumers Association on June 28, 2005.
The chart that is used to estimate consumption in no way coincides with reality. Consumers complain at the head office and receive no satisfaction. They are told “You have to pay.”
Consumers’ voices should make an impact before, not after, decisions are made.
