NOT EVEN the poor man's lunch was spared.

Remember when your cash was low (that seems more than ever these days) and in order to get something to 'stop a gap', you would grab a patty? Well, the starchy staple of Jamaican lunches for all ages will now attract the Government's increased general consumption tax (GCT) of 17.5 per cent.

"Patty get mess up now!" shouted one man in a sports bar on Thursday after reading a list of the items that would now attract GCT.

"Wow! I'm really going to have to cut back now," says Ricardo. He readily admits he is a 'patty man' and usually eats two per day on at least three days for the week. "I know chicken patties are healthier, but sometimes to cut costs, I eat the beef ones. Now I may have to start eating only one."

As it is now, beef patties are in the $70-$90 range, while their chicken counterparts are usually between $90 and $100. More exotic patties are already over the $100 mark, depending on where you make your purchase. Of course, we have not yet factored in the cocoa bread and other starches to go with it. But when January 1 comes around, even the cheapest one will probably cost 'a bills'. Chicken patties could go up to the disturbing level of $120. So a 'Nanny' won't buy as many patties anymore.

Some patty eaters reasoned that with the tax on baking flour, poultry and meat, it would not be far-fetched to believe that the prices could inch up even higher, as the ingredients to make the patties will increase. The tax will only make it worse, they believe.

By the way, we have failed to mention the beverages that go with the patties. Oh well, guess we can use tap water. Except that we're cutting back on water usage due to the drought.

daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com