PM says new tax an option to fund university campus

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Prime Minister Gaston Browne accepts honorary doctorate from AUA/ June 2017

Prime Minister Gaston Browne says he is not ruling out the option of introducing a new tax to fund the operations of the fourth landed campus of the University of the West Indies at Five Islands.

Browne who is also finance minister was speaking on the challenges associated with funding a university.

He said while the funding will be a challenge, it can be done.

“The truth is we are fiscally challenged but we realise that we have to go the extra mile to develop our human resources and to make sure that we are globally competitive,” he told Pointe FM.

“I have to admit that maintaining a university will be a challenge, but I am confident that we are creative enough to raise the funding,” he added.

The prime minister told listeners that imposing a new tax on corporations or insurance companies are two options on the table.

He has also suggested introducing an across the board levy for all residents to pay.

“If it comes to a situation where we have to introduce some form of tax maybe on corporations or a particular sector, like the insurance sector, or even if we had to introduce a levy on all Antiguans and Barbudans to fund this university, I think that is a sacrifice that all Antiguans and Barbudans should be prepared to make.

He said such a tax will be “in their interest and in their children’s interest and future generations so that we can train them to ensure that we have a cadre of qualified and competent people who can preside over the transformation of this country into an economic powerhouse.”

Browne said there are 1100 Antigua and Barbuda students studying at various institutions costing the state more than 20 million dollars annually.

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17 COMMENTS

  1. Investigate the E BOOKS and the liberta school money for COMPUTER s…..what new tax u want kill us with again are u mad ….we cant even get water ….time for u to resign u are failing as leader your minister are merely yes men they bring nothing to the table and because they are afraid of u…..and please stop sell our passports

  2. Why not just increase the education levy and set aside a specific percentage for the funding of the University and take away the cap of $65000. So that the high income earners contribute even more. And please Mr. PM when the University is on stream you should stop the PM FREE Scholarship Money. That is madness what you guys are doing. If you want to do something like that at least make it an interest free loan to parents that qualify. nothing in life is free. Someone has to pay for it somewhere in the system. You politicians have to stop making beggars out of people. You are not helping anyone by giving them $5000 free money every year. And don’t let me tell you of the miss-use of the money. Children sometimes do not see the money at all.

  3. Tax and more tax…. yet, umemployment is on the raise. Why not utilise the incone tax and reinforce the payment of land tax to facilitate this venture.. No more tax on poor people. If, insurances and corporation are imposed with the said tax. Where will they obtain the funds? Poor people pockets! The cost to complete business with these said business will be more expensive.

    Please think through this initative prior to launch

    • @everblessed-Wow,thats a very strong word to use against someone whom i am sure never did you any harm personally.. Please pray that God will remove the darkness from your heart,because i am sure that’s what you are hating-his success.. Its called Envy,and can destroy you from the inside out.. Sorry for you.. Ha ha ..

  4. Getting a university here is not a bad idea but how about all ministers pay a portion of their salaries to fund the university? Don’t u think the citizens are already suffering enough ? Some are barely making enough to maintain their household etc

    but still they won’t stop burdening down the poor man.

  5. he need to tell his son to sell the property he owns and help fund the f***king university since thats where tax payers money are going to fund his lifestyle. ive never seen some dumb set a ppl who dont realize that Gaston Jr never worked a day in his life yet still own half moon bay and properties in Florida wey de money come from is my question?????

  6. The next 5 years will be worst than the first 28years….. Its what we voted for….. I told you so!!!! Oh how I told you so

  7. We already have a levy to fund the university. 10 yrs now mi nah hab no pikney an mi a pay education levy.

    USE THAT.

  8. No, b*tch! Our gas prices haven’t dropped which is still a tax. You are yet to come up with a sustainable economic plan other than CIP and you are a well- learnt man. So no, I am not willing to pay a new tax in hopes that we will have a cadre of qualified people to choose from to build the ever elusive “economic powerhouse.” You all have the “One Nation” concert in January for the past two years while students were bawling for their scholarship funds. What you cannot do is manage. If it is we have a new tax, I swear y’all would continue to scrape for coins. For all the economic targets I see you claiming to reach on the news, these benefits have yet to trickle down to the common man. We don’t even have running water. An economic powerhouse would have found a creative way to deal with these challenges affecting basic standards of living. Gaston, you a gear up for a royal ass whipping come next election with this kinda talk.

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