"A CARING government should consider taking immediate action to encourage more charitable contributions by increasing tax concessions to donors," said Oliver Clarke, chairman and managing director of The Gleaner Company Ltd., during his keynote address to the Salvation Army Eastern Jamaica Division Advisory Board's fund-raising dinner at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, Tuesday night.
"I invite the Government to show its concern for the underprivileged by offering increased tax incentives to those that give," Mr. Clarke said.
He added that Government should give immediate attention to doubling or quadrupling the tax incentives offered to individuals and businesses that give to approved charities.
Mr. Clarke said such a move would encourage much larger and more frequent donations.
In explaining his proposal, he said that, if an individual gives $100 to an approved charity, then between $50 and $100 should be deducted from that person's tax bill, rather than the $25 which is now deductible.
VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS
"Most charities are using the funds received to provide social services that otherwise would/ should have to be provided by Government," he said. He implied that the increased tax concessions would not cost the Government.
Mr. Clarke argued that the hundreds of churches, religious organisations and other entities working "to help the poor, the homeless, the hungry and those in need of care and attention" are "pretty much solely dependent on voluntary contributions being made by individuals and companies".
He stressed that official encouragement for charitable donations is needed at this time because of the far greater dependence on volunteer and charitable work in Jamaica than ever before.
During his address, he praised the Salvation Army for the work it has been carrying out in the country for the past 119 years.
"I salute the Salvation Army in Jamaica for its wonderful integrity and the scope and nature of its multi-faceted contributions to uplift those that are challenged through poverty, health, disaster or in mind," he said.
Mr. Clarke told the gathering that the Salvation Army is second only to the United Nations in the category of providers of social aid, with expenditure of US$2.6 billion in 2004, helping more than 30 million people.
