Prakash fires back at Imbert

He added that paying the sum of TT$17,000 annually in property tax to the US government has sensitised him to the difficulties that many in the country will face when the property tax goes into effect.

In a telephone interview from overseas, on Saturday, Ramadhar reiterated the property tax will bring hardship to many homes. “I do have a problem with the property tax, it is a burden I have to carry.

I know now the difficulties that many of our citizens will face if they don’t pay. If I don’t pay it here ( in the US) I will lose my property and for the Minister of Finance to personalise it, to suggest that this battle is about Prakash Ramadhar shows how superficial he is.

“It has always been about the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

Prakash Ramadhar can pay his property tax because of hard work, and a long legacy of hard work in his family, but there are many in the society who cannot do so. As a member of the Parliament, I speak for the oppressed and that’s what it is about, ” he said.

Continuing to criticise the property tax, Ramadhar insisted it will bring no immediate benefit to citizens who are already facing severe hardships because of the high cost of living. He said the monies collected will not go to local government but into the Consolidated Fund where Government can use it for what he called, “some hairbrained project such as a highway to Toco which will not bring any real benefit to the citizenry.” Ramadhar revealed he is in the process of putting together a team of lawyers to mount a legal challenge against the property tax and is also mobilising people all across the country to write their MPs, including PNM MPs, telling them they do not want the property tax.

He plans to host a property tax forum at the St Augustine community centre on Tuesday at 6 pm where persons can share their concerns and have questions regarding the property tax answered.