Recently the ULP regime introduced yet another unpopular and controversial tax in SVG. This new tax of one Eastern Caribbean dollar is charged to travellers entering the Ferry terminal on route to the Grenadines. Clearly, the main objective of this tax is to unnecessarily pressurise residents of the Grenadines who must travel frequently to the mainland for work and other issues.

The one dollar apartheid tax to the Grenadines wharf is economically stupid, financially outrageous, socially out of balance and as a revenue base totally clumsy. In terms of nation building, the tax is shameful, insensitive, wicked and comes from desperate thinking by the ULP regime. The Grenadines is very important to the overall SVG economy. The Grenadines can do without St. Vincent, whereas St. Vincent cannot do without the Grenadines. The Grenadines has the best yachting waters in the world. The rich and famous come for the Grenadines not mainland St. Vincent, and they bring significant revenue for the Treasury.

Taiwan creams off millions of dollars annually by fishing for tuna in the Atlantic Ocean on the SVG fishing licence. If the incompetent ULP regime wishes to increase tax revenue, then it should tax the Taiwanese millionaires making money from the SVG fishing licence. Imposing another tax at the Grenadines wharf on poor people who are already experiencing difficulty in making ends meet is unacceptable.

The tax has already caused clashes between protesters and police. The police are stretched trying to save lives by sorting out the huge amount of gun crime, they don’t need to waste time over a one dollar tax. All the money collected by the ULP regime should be given back immediately and the tax abolished.

There are many people who are on a low income who must come to the mainland to earn a living. Over a year people will be paying up to EC$ 365 dollars unnecessarily just to come to the mainland. This vast amount of money could be used by poor families to buy medicines, clothes, school books, pay electricity bills and much more. It is unacceptable for the ULP regime to punish people in this way. The tax is a serious injustice.

What we are seeing with the ULP regime is increased desperation. Since they came to office, public debt has more than doubled, the public debt to GDP ratio has risen to a dangerously high level and they still have no idea how to create sustainable revenue for the nation. Instead, to try to hide their ineptitude, they impose ridiculous taxes on the nation. We see VAT; passports are being taxed more; if you rent a room there’s a tax to pay; the Commodity and Trade Act is a tax by stealth. These taxes make the poor poorer.

The ULP regime is a disappointment and failing. Poverty has increased over their six years of government. People of the Grenadines are feeling the pressure and poor people are too. A general election is needed for a positive change. How long will it be before we will be taxed to walk on the streets of Kingstown!