THE EDITOR, Sir:
NOW THAT the elections are over, honours bestowed, and Members of Parliament given substantial salary increases, its time for the government to pay attention to correcting the flawed property tax imposed some months ago. No one can deny that a revision of property tax was necessary, but in the haste to do so there have been serious inequities which will take months and probably years to sort out. If the government is not prepared to pay attention to this I would hope the Opposition has it on their agenda. As for the Parish Review Board announced by the former Minister of Local Government it is a farce. I base my conclusions on my personal experience.
I own a half-acre plot at Shotover, a rural area three miles from the town of Port Antonio. This area has no water, no street lights, no garbage collection and the roads are in a deplorable condition. It is not a residential area, just a small settler farming community.
In 2002 the plot was assessed for $20,000. To my alarm the recent assessment was $1,100,000 with taxes at $3,500 per year; the equivalent or more than property the same size in the vicinity of the town. In my wildest imagination I cannot see how the value could have escalated to this. It's a rural community and my neighbours have not yet received their assessment for me to make a comparison.
I have no objection to paying taxes in whatever form, but this is extortion, and if done by the government it does not make it legitimate. I could never take $3,500 needed by me to pay for my medication and all the ills that come with old age to pay an oppressive tax. I am sure there are many pensioners and non-pensioners who are facing the same problem. When the poor are oppressed the seeds of revolution are being sown. History bears evidence to this.
I would like the Government to place this review high on their agenda in the coming year before property taxes are due in April.
I am, etc.,
DOREEN D. McLEOD-BRAMWELL
P.O. Box 52
Port Antonio
