KINGSTON, Jamaica – THE Jamaican opposition is pulling out all the stops in its protest against the government’s new $18B tax package.

Opposition Leader Portia Simpson-Miller announced the People’s National Party’s (PNP) plans to stage island-wide protests in the upcoming days. According to The Jamaica Gleaner, the former Prime Minister has urged Jamaicans to wear black, to honk their horns or to keep their headlights on; all as signs of disapproval over what she calls “the most burdensome tax package ever”.

She further revealed that the PNP would intensify its protests with a vigil, as well as a series of public town hall meetings to explain the full impact of the tax package.

The $18B tax package introduced in Parliament on Thursday (Apr. 23) by Finance Minister Audley Shaw is the largest in the country’s history. It comes at a time of turmoil in the Jamaican economy, as bauxite exports and tourist arrivals have dropped significantly due to the global crisis.

Before its announcement, Prime Minister Bruce Golding had warned Jamaicans that the tax package, which came into effect yesterday (Apr. 27), was necessary to close the country’s budget gap.

“As I have said before, the country is going through tough times - tough times for you and tough times for the government. All of us have to help the country through this crisis so that we can position ourselves for recovery after it has passed,” said Golding.

Shaw has defended the tax package, stating it deals “effectively with the global economic crisis”. He rejected PNP criticism that it would do little to assist the poorest and most vulnerable.

“We have not just put the tax on, but we have embraced the opportunity to embark on fundamental changes to the tax system. It has become a favourite, if not overused, claim of the PNP that we are not doing anything for the poor. The poor people of Jamaica know better than that,” he asserted.

In addition to the PNP protests, BBC Caribbean reports that taxi operators in Kingston are threatening to withdraw their services if the government does not withdraw the tax or institute a 30 percent increase in fares.

The new tax package has increased the taxes on various items including computers, computer parts and certain foodstuffs. Additionally, it raised the Special Consumption tax on fuel by 100 percent, which is equivalent to $8.75 a litre.