It is customary at the end of the year to turn our thoughts to the New Year and the expectations that are in our minds. Taking a lead from the complaints that come from every quarter, the most urgent need is for some relief in the cost of living. It is claimed that government is not responsible for the new prices of food. Nevertheless, the high increase in the prices of basic food items is a fact, and we cannot push it under the carpet. Let us look at some of these prices:
January December
Milk (loose) $360 $700
Rice 200 per gln 400
Flour 50 per lb 80
Potatoes 50-60 per lb 80-100
Cheese 600 900-1,000
Eggs 15 each 25 each
Cooking gas 2800 (20 lb) 3200
Kerosene oil (litre) 133 153
There has been a promise that the income tax threshold will be raised, but if it is, the change should offer some benefit to employees. A letter writer in the Stabroek News of December 12 reminded Minister Nadir of his promise to move the threshold to $50,000. This, it seems, would be acceptable.
The Value Added Tax (VAT) is new and there are still some areas that remain dark. VAT should not be demanded for educational work, yet it is added to some educational services in error. When this occurs, one would expect the Guyana Revenue Authority to refund the amount collected. This is not done so people are taxed wrongfully.
There is another area where senior citizens are not being exempted from heavy taxation. There were complaints on all sides when the last valuation of properties in Georgetown took place. Senior citizens were given some relief by the city council when they went to pay their taxes. However, instructions flowed from the Ministry of Local Government that this relief should come from the ministry and not from City Hall.
Senior citizens thereafter were advised to seek relief from the Ministry of Local Government. It takes ages for this ministry to respond and months pass with the senior citizen being charged the high rate of 40 per cent interest on arrears. If, eventually, a waiver is given on account of age, it only applies to one year and permission must be sought every year. It is a tiresome job which the ministry does not seem able to handle.
I am now advised that senior citizens who seek relief from the city taxes should obtain a statement of amount due from the city council and enclose the statement in a letter to the Minister of Local Government, copied to the Permanent Secretary of that ministry and seek what relief can be obtained. This should be of great benefit to government pensioners and others whose pensions cannot cover the cost of living.
For the New Year there should be an undertaking to have a close look at the Landlord and Tenants Act and our prisons. Examination of our prison system should be a Caricom undertaking to see how successful our present system is in reforming persons whose behaviour is not acceptable. Punishment is not always the answer. The fact is that the prison population has grown beyond the capacity of the prisons to maintain a healthy atmosphere both for prisoners and prison officers. Conditions in our Georgetown prison are inhuman, with prisoners having no facilities for sleeping. The Guyana Human Rights Association should intervene. There should be institutions, not prisons, to correct deviant behaviour. Is the spread of HIV/AIDS in the prisons being monitored?
There are three other wishes that I have for 2008.
That VAT be removed from food supplements that are vital for senior citizens.
That the Landlord and Tenants Act be reviewed. Tenants are having a field day.
That the Metric System be accepted by all businesses and consumers. Rice, for instance, should be sold by the kilogramme and not by the gallon.
