By Admin. Updated 7:24 p.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2023, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
The main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines says it is calling on the government to “immediately put in place a tax holiday on school items ahead of the new school term”.
In a press release issued today (August 30), the NDP said it is also calling for the government to “implement a broad-based policy on transportation to ease the financial burden on parents in sending their children to school and provide adequate funding for the School Feeding Program.”
“Children across the country are set to return to school on Monday 4th September, 2023. However, most families are now faced with the challenge of paying for new schoolbooks and equipment amid a cost-of-living crisis that is burdening our country,” the opposition party stated in the release.
The NDP said it is calling on the ULP government to take immediate action to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, as families across the country are struggling to pay for their children’s educational supplies for the upcoming school year.
The opposition party said: “In June, inflation rose to 5.3 per cent – the highest it has been in fourteen (14) years, putting greater burden on Vincentians. Despite this, the government has failed to take action on tackling the cost of living crisis.”
According to the press release, President of the NDP, Dr. Godwin Friday, said, “It is shameful that our government has done nothing to help Vincentians struggling with the high cost-of-living. Only last week, during a walkabout in East St George, a constituent was telling me his concerns about the cost of getting his children ready for the new school year.
The rest of the press release:
People need support now. That is why; the NDP is proposing a 5-point action plan that would provide real and tangible support to persons. Families are worried about the cost of living ahead of the coming school year.”
During this difficult period, the NDP has a clear plan to ease the burden that families are facing by building our national economy so that it can support families and parents who struggle with the costs associated with education.
The NDP’s plan includes:
1. Reduce VAT from 16% down to 13%
2. Reduce the Customs Service Charge, “The Big Tax on Everything”
3. Increase support for lower income families
4. Reduce the impact of the fuel surcharge on VINLEC bills
5. Immediately review the list of VAT items with a view to increasing the number of zero-rated items
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