Basseterre, St. Kitts (TUCOM):- Deeply concerned about the ongoing economic hardships being experienced by the people of St. Kitts and Nevis at the hands of the waning and floundering Douglas-led Labour Administration, Team Unity is re-assuring citizens and residents alike of its commitment to bring urgent and sustained relief to them via the removal of Value-Added Tax (VAT) from the cost of a number of essential living expenses, once the coalition assumes office. In its consistent outreach to the people of this Country, Team Unity has been careful to listen and document the concerns, challenges, and desperation being experienced by many, in a Federation that has become notorious for high taxes, a disappearing middle class, job losses due to business difficulties and closures, rising consumer prices, and salaries and wages that have remainedstatic in the face of inflation.
In an interview with Team Unity’s leader, Dr the Honourable Timothy Harris, it was strongly emphasized that VAT relief to the people of the Federation is urgently needed. Dr Harris noted that:
“It is so very unfortunate that many of our citizens, even while having a full-time job, are living “a hand-to-mouth” existence. For countless families, there is no financial room to handle emergencies, sudden illnesses, shortened work weeks, or even the breakdown of critical household appliances or their vehicles. Their savings are depleted, and the money just isn’t there to handle the unexpected.”
When questioned about Team Unity’s vision for a sensible VAT-relief package, the dynamic leader andFormer Minister of Financeresponded by quoting from the well-advertised preliminary list of items for which VAT would be waived. This list includes the following:
? Food Imports
? Funerals
? Medicine& Medical Equipment – especially for persons with chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, glaucoma, cancer and HIV/AIDS, etc.
? Items for Babies, Infants, and the Care of the Elderly & Persons with Disabilities
? School & Occupational Uniforms, and School Supplies
Dr Harris was quick to add that Team Unity’s economic relief package was not confined to VAT-relief on certain living expenses. He also cited, as Team Unity has repeatedly articulated on the platform and in the press, that the coalition has also committed itself to the forgiveness of pre-SKELEC electricity debts, while seeking to reduce the overall cost of electricity to consumers. Dr Harris noted that in addition to the immediate VAT-relief which Team Unity promises to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis, the coalition will also be ardently working towards a general reduction in the current rate of VAT, in an effort to stimulate business development, increase consumers’ purchasing power, and encourage entrepreneurship among our young people.
On the issue of persons with disabilities, Team Unity is also concerned about the lack of proper national focus on making life easier for such individuals, regardless of whether their disabilities are physical, or due to visual or hearing impairment, morbid obesity, or arthritic and cardiac conditions. Dr Harris added that our national consciousness must be raised to the issue that living with disabilities is a fact of life, and the status of an otherwise able-bodied individual can change in an instant due to an accident, or illness:
“Persons with disabilities are no different from whom we consider to be normal, able-bodied individuals. They have the same hopes, dreams, ambitions and desires as anyone else. However, every effort must be made to ensure that they receive all the support possible at the national level, in order to live meaningful, promising and productive lives,” Dr Harris added.
As a result of this thrust towards advocacy of persons with disabilities, Dr Harris indicated that Team Unity will be conducting formal consultations with such individuals, and related groups, in an effort to learn how best national policy can address some of their urgent needs. Such needs may include access to public and commercial buildings, and fiscal incentives to retro-fit commercial and residential properties for ease of use by persons who are challenged by various disabilities. This exercise is an integral part of Team Unity’s continued listening tours throughout the various St. Kitts and Nevis communities, in order to ensure that our people get the type of government that they deserve – a Government that appropriately responds after respectfully listening to the needs and concerns of its citizens and residents, and then following through on delivering what is promised in a timely manner.
Dr Harris concluded his interview by stressing the fact that relief to the people of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis cannot be addressed as knee-jerk election gimmicks, such as those apparently being conceived by the desperate, illegitimate andoutgoing Douglas Labour regime. Instead, he concluded that “economic relief must be sustainable in the short to long terms,so our nationals will be empowered to feed themselves, and live healthy, productive and promising lives without the fear of job losses, illness, poverty, the loss of their homes, or having to rely on political hand-outs given at election time.”
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