You had chance to repeal tax Act, Kamla

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar cannot just say she is sorry for not repealing the Act and move on when one of the coalition partners, the Congress of the People (COP), had campaigned heavily against the tax going into the 2010 general election.

The arguments against the tax now occupying the attention of the Opposition were well known when the PP formed the government in 2010, so that Persad-Bissessar must now level with her supporters and say why the Property Tax Act 2009 was not repealed when she had the constitutional majority to do so. So too must Dr Roodal Moonilal, Kevin Ramnarine and Vasant Bharath.

However much we will groan under the weight of the property tax, the fact is it’s the law. And I remember Basdeo Panday telling his Cabinet colleagues when he was prime minister in 1995-2001, that you may dislike a law, but unless you can repeal it, you must obey it.

He did just that during his term by implementing the death penalty because it was the law, and he could not change it. The Rowley Government seems to be heading in that same direction.

Persad-Bissessar had the opportunity to repeal and replace the property tax when her party had 29 seats in Parliament. While it is commendable that she did not raise any taxes during her term, it is of little comfort to people who now feel burdened by the increase in their tax portfolio at this time. It is particularly onerous on the business community which is already burdened by a plethora of taxes and yet expected to be the generator of employment.

Persad-Bissessar is now promising to repeal the Act when, and not if, she returns to power. All I can say is there is an old saying, a promise is a comfort for fools.

HARRY PARTAP Tableland