The Nation’s Online Editor Carol Martindale looks at What’s Trending in Barbados today.
The extension of the 17.5 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) seems to be on the minds of many Barbadians this morning.
Yesterday this issue was debated in Parliament.
Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler introduced the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill to Parliament – which will extend the original 18-month increase in VAT from 15 to 17.5 per cent. Sinckler said VAT had outperformed projections every month, with the last quarter raising $184 million in revenue over the previous financial year and raising $1.3 billion over the last 18 months.
This is how some readers responded:
Pierre Thompson-Lewis: “The land where prices never drop. I am not surprised.”
Michelle Forde: “Minister Sinckler, you’ve reminded me that only God keeps promises and since I remembered that , on election day I cannot keep mine either.”
Conchita Moseley: “In line with the rest of the world!”
Tina Stuart: “Not sure I’m understanding this right? The Government raised taxes to make an estimated amount, revenue surpassed this amount. And so it continued? Would have thought rebates to tax payers would have been more in order?
Go to the Nation’s Facebook page for more comments.
