No more handouts
published: Friday | July 29, 2005

THE EDITOR, Sir:

WHO SPEAKS for the overburdened, hard-working PAYE taxpayers while entities such as fishermen eat at the troughs of Government? I hail from one of those depressed fishing communities in Jamaica. As the son of a fisherman, I understand the fisherman's plight. However, I cannot understand why when there is a natural disaster (hurricane) we hear this sector (fishing industry and fishermen) crying to the Government for help. Currently, they enjoy subsidies on gas, engine and other rigging and as far as I am aware, fisherfolk pay no taxes on their income.

For this reason alone I do not think that Government should be bailing them out every time a storm causes problem in the fishing industry. (The same should apply to farmers too). It is high time the Government and Opposition (PNP/JLP) put a system in place where fisherfolk and others pay taxes on their income.

Help should come only to those (fishermen and farmers) who can prove that they pay taxes on income. Politicians are doing the rest of Jamaica a disservice when they in a self-serving way champion the cause of those who pay no taxes. Enough is enough! No more handouts to those who earn an income and do not contribute to the tax base.

I am, etc.,

AUTHNEL REID

authnelreid@aol.com

Middlesex

Via Go-Jamaica