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NDP Gov’t forced to reverse tax increase on alcohol
It was sometime in June 2016 that this news site was informed by a source close to one of the leading importers of alcoholic beverages in the territory that following extensive dialogue with Government concerning the wider economic impacts of the new duty, there was a roll back to the previous per gallon duty structure for all alcohol beverages.
“There will be a review over the next few months and we very much hope that this process is a collaborative one and that the industry as a whole can offer constructive and valid input in terms of the scale and implementation of any changes adopted,” the source had told this news site.
It was said that the beverage giant had had no immediate plans to increase prices, in anticipation that the decision would be reviewed.
However, contacted recently several other smaller business owners said they had been paying an increase effective June 1, 2016 but were told just under a week ago that the government has pulled back the decision on the increase.
The revoke came into effect when Acting Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr The Hon Kedrick D. Pickering on July 26, 2016 formalised the legal documentation for the reversal which was gazetted on August 11, 2016.
‘We have to sell off products first’
“We paid somewhere around 18 -20 % increase between July 1st and this month, we have to sell those off before we can reverse our prices but we just couldn’t put it all on our customers at least for me and I know of a number of others because I have been checking, put on about a 10% increase on customers so far and we absorbed the other,” said one businessman who asked not to be named.
He said he was expecting the government to reverse their decision and business experts have been “Strong on their back”.
“You can’t be adding those kind of pressure on people, the businesses that keeping this country on its feet right now, the people that supporting these very businesses are working for next to nothing so it just couldn’t work,” he added.
“The government find themselves in a tight position of being broke but you cannot make your backbone bend too low to repair your damages or else your back will break and you know what happens when your spine is broken … irreparable,” he continued.
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14 Responses to “NDP Gov’t forced to reverse tax increase on alcohol”
On a side note, I'm happy they finally listen to what the public has to say on something, but disheartened that it was on this.