Jamaica Gleaner: “Taxed to death – From cradle to grave, Jamaicans hit hard by new tariffs”
FINANCE MINISTER Audley Shaw yesterday announced the largest tax package of the calendar year as the Government moved to plug a $17.9-billion hole in the Budget. The package, the third announced by Shaw this fiscal year, is intended to raise $21.8 billion annualised through the medium term.
Jamaica Observer: “Bosses lash Gov’t for tax package”
SOME leading corporate bosses have criticised the Government for the $21.8-billion annualised tax package it presented in Parliament yesterday.
Jamaica Gleaner: “BOJ cuts interest rates again”
The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) has announced cuts in the interest rates on open market instruments for the fourth time this year. Open market instruments are investment options sold to by the Government over different period on which an interest is paid upon maturity.
Jamaica Gleaner: “No gov’t wage increase until 2012”
PUBLIC-SECTOR workers will have to wait until 2012 before they can receive any salary increase. Prime Minister Bruce Golding told Parliament yesterday that the decision to extend the freeze on public-sector wages was a result of the Government’s fiscal pro-gramme with the International Monetary Fund.
Jamaica Gleaner: ‘Tax measures cruel’
THE PARLIAMENTARY Opposition has called on the Government to reverse the tax package announced in Gordon House yesterday, calling the measures “oppressive, cruel and unjust”.
Jamaica Observer: “Jamaica’s opportunity”
AT the time of writing this column, I, like every other Jamaican, am waiting to see what tax package the government delivers and the final outcome of the IMF negotiations. Both these issues have been on the tongues of everyone except the dead in Jamaica.