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Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves presenting the 2019 Budget to Parliament on Monday. (iWN photo)
Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves presenting the 2019 Budget to Parliament on Monday. (iWN photo)
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Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves, on Monday, announced an increase in the excise on gasoline and diesel as well as tobacco, sweetened drinks, and landing fees at Argyle International Airport. 

The minister presented the fiscal package amidst protest by the executive of the SVG Teachers’ Union and the Public Service Union over his government’s handling of matters affecting them, including salary increases.

He said that the tax measures are expected to contribute EC$8 million to the financing of the EC$1.067 billion budget which lawmakers will begin debating on Tuesday.

“These modest adjustments further this government’s practice of prudent fiscal management and people-centred budgeting,” Gonsalves said as he delivered his second budget since becoming minister of finance in November 2017.

On gasoline, the excise will move from the current rate of EC$2.50 to $3 – an increase of 20 per cent.

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On gas and oils other than diesel, the excise has risen 40 per cent, moving from EC$1.50 to EC$2.10.

“It is important that this revised excise, and, indeed the price of fuel in St. Vincent and the Grenadines generally remain low, relative to our neighbours in the OECS,” Gonsalves told Parliament.

He said the adjustment is expected to generate an additional EC$4.2 million for the government.

Gonsalves said the significant increase in the importation of used motor vehicles has given rise to health and environmental concerns linked to increasing levels of vehicular emissions and increased dumping of derelict vehicles and used parts.

He said that in 2018, the government reduced the age of imported used vehicles, adding that this is a trend that will continue in the future.

“We cannot continue to spend more in health care to treat respiratory illnesses as such as asthma, which is increasing in prevalence in recent years,” he said.

He further stated that the number of vehicles in the country had grown exponentially over the last decade.

This, Gonsalves said, places tremendous pressure on the road network, hastening the deterioration of the service of the nation’s highways and secondary roads.
The finance minister said there are over 32,000 vehicles on the roads of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and, notwithstanding the increased government spending on road repairs and rehabilitation, the calls from the public for even more spending on the roads are quite evident.

He said that the excise on petroleum products was in response to these demands for spending on roads, healthcare and environmental protection.

The finance minister announced that the excise on water, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavour, would increase from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.

The excise on aerated beverages will rise from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.

The changes are expected to yield some EC$2.4 million in additional revenue.

Regarding alcoholic beverages, undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80 per cent or higher, will see an increase in excise by 10.7 per cent.

The excise on brandies, whiskies, gin, Geneva gin, vodka, and rum in bottles of strength not exceeding 46 per cent volume will increase by 20 per cent.

These changes are expected to generate EC$800,000 

Regarding cigarettes containing tobacco, the excise will increase from $1.55 to EC$2.75 per 100 sticks.

For unmanufactured tobacco, tobacco refuse, the rate will increase from 6 per cent to 10 per cent, while the duty on cigars will move from 14 per cent to 20 per cent.

The excise levied on other manufactured tobacco and tobacco substitutes will move from 6 per cent to 10 per cent. Under the category “other”, the excise moved six percentage points, from 12 per cent to 18 per cent.

These measures are expected to generate $500,000 in revenue.

The 2019 budget represents a 7.4 per cent year-on-year increase that is accounted for on both the capital and recurrent sides of the fiscal package.

The 2019 budget is made up of recurrent expenditure, inclusive of amortisation and sinking fund contributions, of EC$844,763,703 and capital expenditure of EC$222,579,580.

The budget is financed by current revenue of EC$656,590,775 and capital receipts of EC$410,743,508.

9 replies on “Increased taxes on fuel, liquor, cigarettes in 2019 budget”

  1. They will squeeze us until our pip squeak! They will tax us until we bleed! They milk us dry of all worth in their show of orthodoxy to a failed ideology. Will these guys ever learn that what we need are tax relief and not more of the same?

    Here is a thing “The Rich Kids of Venezuela – including the so-called-Socialist revolution leader Hugo Chavez’s daughter – they flaunt their wealth with fist-fulls of cash and lavish holidays while the nation starves”. Just like those of Cuba.

    The “Rich kids of Venezuela’s socialist elite flash their money and pose with pop-stars” and here is another thing you did not know “Hugo Chavez’s daughter is rumoured to have a personal fortune of $4billion.” Does this reminds us of anything here at home in SVG?

    “Maria Gabriela, 38, earned her fortune while acting as first lady to her father
    Gabriela – and other children of Venezuela’s socialist elite – appear to have forgotten Hugo Chavez’s galvanizing motto ‘to be rich is bad’.” What does this tell us about these so-called-socialist?

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6667889/Rich-Kids-Venezuela-including-Socialist-leader-Hugo-Chavezs-daughter-flaunt-wealth.html

    Their moto is what’s yours is ours but what’s ours is our own for us and for our children to enjoy even when we are gone. When even more than 3 million vote with their feet in Venezuela and leg it out to find food their kind do not change policy. One has to ask just what on earth is wrong with these power hungry so-called socialist.

  2. “people centered budget”…….
    The Govt continues to fool and disrespect those of us who have common and intellectual sense on a daily. What is people centered about this budget? Increased in cost of living is? Landing fees increased contributing to an increase in ticket prices and a disincentive to travel thereby reducing regional stimulation. Shame that others will continue to jump for these policies whilst cannot feed their own selves properly.
    GOOD GOVERNANCE!

  3. There should be a total ban on the import of all used vehicles and legislation prohibiting the import of any vehicle and all engines of any type that are not highly fuel efficient and do not have the most effective emission control systems.

    Our leaders are crying about climate change adversely affecting us by raising sea levels and killing our oceans but they refuse to do anything other than cosmetic changes because banning gas-guzzling vehicles/emgines would end up costing them votes.

    In little SVG, electoral politics always trumps every other issue.

  4. SVG people forever complaining about high taxes and then they get more taxes increases every year. Doesn’t SVG People know how to stage protests in SVG? ULP should have been gone two elections ago. NDP, why you coming up short every time?

  5. If current revenue exceeds recurring expenditure by about $188000000, Does the government have to borrow to pay its bills? Salaries etc;

  6. PEOPLE CRY BOUT TINGS HARD BUT YET ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAVE MONEY FOR LIQUOR CIGARETTES AND PARTY …………..TWO EVILS THAT KILLS AND DESTROY .
    TAX THEM HIGHER !!!!

  7. For more Taxes they will squeeze us until our pip squeak! They will tax us until we bleed blood! They milk us dry of all of our worth in their show of orthodoxy to a failed socialist ideology. Will these guys ever learn that what we need are tax relief and not more of the same?

    Here is a thing “The Rich Kids of Venezuela – including the so-called-Socialist revolution leader Hugo Chavez’s daughter – they flaunt their wealth with fist-fulls of cash and lavish holidays while the nation starves”. Just like those of Cuba including Castro’s grandson.

    The “Rich kids of Venezuela’s socialist elite flash their money and pose with pop-stars” and here is another thing you did not know “Hugo Chavez’s daughter is rumoured to have a personal fortune of $4billion.”

    “Maria Gabriela, 38, earned her fortune while acting as first lady to her father
    Gabriela – and other children of Venezuela’s socialist elite – appear to have forgotten Hugo Chavez’s galvanizing motto ‘to be rich is bad’.” What does this tell us about these so-called-socialist?

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6667889/Rich-Kids-Venezuela-including-Socialist-leader-Hugo-Chavezs-daughter-flaunt-wealth.html

    Their moto is what’s yours is ours but what’s ours is our own for us and for our children to enjoy even when we are gone. When even more than 3 million vote with their feet in Venezuela and leg it out of the country to find food, their kind do not change policy. One has to ask just what is wrong with these power hungry so-called socialist and tax.

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