{"id":156004,"date":"2022-07-18T08:54:24","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T12:54:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=156004"},"modified":"2022-07-18T08:54:24","modified_gmt":"2022-07-18T12:54:24","slug":"letter-critical-thinkers-needed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/letter-critical-thinkers-needed\/","title":{"rendered":"LETTER: Critical Thinkers Needed"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dear Editor,<\/p>

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It has always been said that Antiguans are not a reading public.<\/p>\n

If that is indeed true then it has become even worse with the advent of social media.<\/p>

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Many are only reading headlines.<\/p>

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Where are the critical thinkers? Much is being made by the UPP and others, of the announcement that the Barbados government is offering relief to Bajans by reducing the taxes on certain basic items.<\/p>\n

But Bajans pay INCOME Tax \u2013 that is tax on earnings. WE DO NOT. Bajans pay 12.5% income tax if they earn between 0 and $50,000 per year and 28.5% if they earn over $50,000. Plus, Bajans pay 17.5 % VAT or as we call it ABST.<\/p>

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So, the Barbados government has already taken 12.5% from the lower earners and now is giving back a few percent. Big Deal. We pay no Income Tax in Antigua and Barbuda. Which would we prefer? At least we have all of our income that we have earned in our pocket and we can decide what to buy. And the basic food items are already part of the basic of goods which are price controlled.<\/p>\n

The UPP is suggesting all types of give aways, but has not to date told us how they will pay for those give aways. In the lead up to the 2004 elections the UPP promised no new taxes. Within 2 years, they introduced Income Tax. Any critical thinker will know that the money for the giveaways has to come from somewhere.<\/p>

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Based on the levels of give aways being promised by the UPP, they will have to re-introduce Personal Income Tax at a rate of at least 35%. And even then, they will have a big short fall. Think long and hard about that.<\/p>

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Think, my people, think. Read, research, analyse.\u00a0 Stop allowing yourself to be fooled. Money does not appear out of the sky. We need money for health, education, roads, to pay Police, Teachers, nurses etc. That money has to come from taxes. Luckily for us, the ABLP government has been able to manage the economy without digging into our earnings.<\/p>\n

They have not done like other governments who have taken our money through income tax and then given relief with a tiny portion of our same taxes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Regards,<\/p>\n

Paul<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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