2017 National Budget Debates....Budget tax measures will arrest tax evasion, boost employment

2017 National Budget Debates….Budget tax measures will arrest tax evasion, boost employment – Labour Minister

Dec 06, 2016 News

By Suraj Narine
Minister of Social Protection, Keith Scott, during his presentation at the 2017 National Budget Debates, yesterday, said that the imposed tax measures outlined in the recently presented Budget, will arrest tax evasion while simultaneously boosting employment.
The Minister stated that in 2013, it was established by reputable sources that Tax Evasion was more rampant than ever.
He referred to an article that was published in the Kaieteur News, on November 3, 2013, captioned “Tax Evasion more rampant than ever,”
Minister Scott quoted a section of the article where he said that the immorality of Guyana is that one set of people pay their taxes while another spends it.
He continued that the 2017 National Budget sets about meeting this “scourge” head on by introducing a series of measures that will arrest this trend which results in millions of dollars being unavailable to the economy.
The extent to which Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion negatively impacts the country’s economic growth is not that easy to pinpoint however, harm is inevitable.
“The harm which it contains and continues to reflect on the economy can no longer be tolerated. The deliberately concocted scheme and programmes initiated by some sectors of our economy has not been helpful in employment creation particularly to the benefit of youths.”
The Minister said that the government is conscious that full employment is an ideal which most nations have difficulty in achieving. “We are not comfortable with our level of employment…Hence, the need for a tax reform system which will threaten and strengthen the tax base.”
The unemployment rate, Scott said, is not comforting however; it could have been better if the mischief caused by tax evasion had not been so rampant.
A Christmas Budget
Despite facing much criticism from the main Parliamentary Opposition, Private Sector-Representative Organisations and social media commentators, Minister Keith Scott, labelled the 2017 National Budget as a “Christmas Budget” saying that it brings the Spirit of Joy.
The Minister added that the Budget has brought happiness to the young, the old, the poor and the rich.
He stated that there is no doubt that every person, at every stratum of society, has been able to express satisfaction in relation to the $250B National Budget that was presented by the Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, last week Monday.
“They were all able to see something good in the budget for themselves. It has offered a gift to all sectors and has left the traditional prophets of doom with no ammunition to attack us but to resort to lies and distortion.” he said.
Minister Scott said that this Budget was the largest ever presented to the National Assembly since Guyana became an independent state and the measures contained, builds on the previous two Budgets that were presented in the last 18 months.
This he pointed out, is a record that will not be easily surpassed.
“In fact, it places Guyana on the road to financial and economical prosperity in a clearly measurable and immediate way that you can see exactly the benefits that are available. More so, the impact of the Budget would last a long time into the future.
The Labour Minister said that the Budget will sustain Guyana as well as reinvigorate and inspire all to make contributions to creating the good life for citizens and the future generations.
He zeroed in on the elderly. He stated that they were forgotten and uninvolved in the future of Guyana and were made to feel as if they were “useless geriatrics to be discarded and treated with no respect.”
The elderly received meagre handouts as economic relief and $13,125 as old age pensions which did not go a far way, he said.
In addition, senior citizens were made to pay from transportation and other services. However, upon assuming office, the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Administration immediately set out to balance these inequalities the Minister said.
“It gave them back their dignity. We honoured them. We involved them and allowed them a chance to play the role of elders to our youths. Today, they work with renewed pride in Guyana and happily participate in national events.”

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2017 National Budget Debates….Budget tax measures will arrest tax evasion, boost employment – Labour Minister

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