The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will grant duty-free concessions on “Christmas barrel” from Nov. 12 to Dec. 31, 2018.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves made the announcement in his address at Victoria Park on Saturday during the military parade marking the nation’s 39th anniversary of independence from Britain.
“Last year, over 20,000 persons benefitted from such concessions,” Gonsalves said.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
1. If you are not privileged enough to have somebody away to send you a barrel, then fire for you.
2. The lost revenue for supermarkets, etc. is made up by higher prices which adversely affect the poor, the people who are least likely to get a barrel from away.
3. Much of the stuff shipped ends up on the streets of Kingstown sold by itinerant vendors who pay no tax or VAT.
4. This vote-reaping practice adversely affects employment in legitimate business enteprises while making the streets of Kingstown impassible.
5. Most barrels are shipped to people who are not in dire need of them.
This wicked practice must stop!
C. Ben- David: Those statement make no sense not everyone sell the stuff they get on the street, there are going to be the one that do it and there are going to be the one who are grateful they can get stuff from overseas with out paying all the duties and Once again you are wrong most barrels that are shipped to people are people indeed of them, if this was a practice that is all year round i could understand what you are saying but it happen once year for a month, in a time when most family are sending things home for their family holiday, the way you sound is you are one of the people that do not have somebody away to send you a barrel so you being bad minded
Ralf has his planning well advanced. He’s done many simulations and dry-runs he has become overconfident. I wonder if they audit Ralf what they will find. I do laugh when I read stories of people who grew up with him remembering little Ralf. Look at him sitting firmly in the saddle they say, that when he gets knocked out of it and come crashing to the ground, it will come as a big shock. What is worth more your life of his life?