THE Parliamentary Opposition has once again shown a lack of inclination to support a commitment to the people of Guyana by decrying Government’s move to ease the burdens of the working class.
The Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) have both stated that a 25% increase in the income tax threshold, ensuring the continued employment of more than 18,000 workers and their families in the sugar industry, and avoiding a 20% increase in electricity rates are shocking and disappointing.
Previous statements by the two parties over time continually slammed government for not putting these same measures in place. Now that they have been proposed for implementation through the National Budget, the opposition parties, in a complete reversal of their previous calls, claim that it failed to address the plight of the poor.
Yet, the budget clearly states that 21,000 people will be removed from the income tax net and take home $40,000 more annually, while over $26B is to be spent supporting the education sector.
What is significant too, is the fact that the last three national budgets had no additional taxes included.
Meanwhile, Mr Carvil Duncan, President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and General Secretary of the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), has welcomed the 2012 National Budget as a “pro-workers’ budget”.
Duncan said in a press statement that while the budget directly avoids increases in electricity bills by 20%, it also “reflects a country continuing on the rise, and all Guyanese should have a sense of pride of what we, as Guyanese brothers and sisters, can achieve when we work together.”
He noted that the biggest measure in the budget is the increase in the income tax threshold that puts an additional $40,000 in one’s pocket annually, and which will see an increase in disposable income for both the public sector and the general working class.
The union leader also recognised that the government’s contribution to GPL of $6B is to avoid the 20% increase in electricity rates that the company is entitled to get. “This is, in essence a subsidy to the customer,” he observed.
Pointing to the lowering of applicable taxes on fuel, he said that this will help to reduce the price of transportation.
Duncan urged that with the unique composition of Parliament, all political parties should conduct the debate in the best interest of all Guyanese, with a focus on issues rather than personalities. (GINA)