THE ASSOCIATION of Development Agencies (ADA), an umbrella group representing 13 non-governmental organisations (NGOs ), has appealed to the Government to make NGOs exempt from paying the General Consumption Tax (GCT).
ADA co-ordinator, Simeon Robinson, said tax was putting additional strain on the NGOs' already overburdened budgets and represented a "drain on resources."
His comments coincide with plans by Government to amend the GCT Act which Clive Nicholas, Director General of Tax Administration said could significantly increase the amount collected.
Mr. Robinson said that Government should consider making the burden of NGOs lighter because these organisations often provided services which would otherwise fall to Government.
"The bad part is that we are going out there and raising funds to do services that Government should be doing," he said, adding that NGOs needed help to provide adequate services so that children and other groups may have access to health education and other social services. NGOs are already exempt from paying income tax, he said.
In April, Mr. Robinson explained that while some NGOs were wary of accepting direct contributions from Government fearing that this would open the door for the state to dictate their agendas and halt any attempts to criticise political officials and actions, others believed that they were entitled to Government help because they provided services that would otherwise fall to the Government.
Meanwhile, Cordell Braham, information officer at the Ministry of Finance, said the NGOs had been asked to submit a formal document outlining their concerns and needs to the Ministry for consideration.
