Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has dismissed as “gimmicks” the policy announcements by Opposition Leader Godwin Friday, one of which would grant 50% the duty on a vehicle to everyone who works in the public sector for 10 years.
“… instead of having a vision, … instead of critiquing our policies, what the NDP has taken to doing is to try to kerfuffle people with gimmicks,” he said at a Unity Labour Party campaign event in Murray’s Village Monday night.
“Today, there are a few more gimmicks,” he said, referring to the announcements that Friday made on Hot 97 FM Monday morning.
Friday also announced two VAT-free shopping days annually, a payout to parents on the birth of a child, and a concession on equipment valued at up to EC$20,000 for creatives.
“One of them, he will have two days a year as VAT-free days. That’s a gimmick. They try that in Barbados. They stop it because it makes absolutely no sense,” Gonsalves said.
However, the Bahamas has VAT-free days and St. Kitts and Nevis has discounted VAT rate days.
“Then imagine this man get on a radio and propose that to have babies, he go give $500. Which world Friday live in. Imagine that. he insulting woman to say have pickney and I go get $500. $500? $500 really? He serious?” Gonsalves said.
Friday was asked specifically if the EC$500 was to encourage people to have children in light of the declining population.
The opposition leader said
“I just want to make it clear, again, that this policy that we’ll introduce is that we will pay — the government — a bonus of $500 on the birth of a child in St Vincent and the Grenadines — that is to the parents of the child. And that is, call it the baby bonus. That is something that we will have in place, and families will be able to take advantage of that at that time when there are such, you know, additional costs and prices and so on.”
Gonsalves said the National Insurance Services (NIS), “once you are there, they give you a grant of $660. He don’t even know that.”
The NIS website says its maternity grant is a lump sum payment made to a woman who has given live birth.
A woman or her husband qualifies for the grant and must be between the ages of 16 and pensionable age and must have paid have been credited at least 20 weekly contributions in the 30 weeks immediately before the birth of a child
“Maternity grant based on a spouse’s/common law’s contributions will be paid to one woman at any one time. The relationship must be established for at least 3 years (they both must be sharing the same living quarters),” the NIS further says.
Gonsalves said the Ministry of National Mobilisation provides help in excess of EC$500 on an ongoing basis.
“You know that, you see that … He thinks Vincy’s woman so cheap. … I mean, I have never heard things so ridiculous in all my life.”
Gonsalves noted the proposed 50% reduction in the duty on vehicles will extend to the police, nursing, health and teaching services.
“Look at the rubbish — …” he said, adding that there are over 4,000 people in the public sector with more than 10 years’ service.
“Now, let us assume that the average duty on a vehicle these days is about $35,000 and you give half of that as a relief, that’s $17,500,” Gonsalves said, adding that it would amount to around EC$76 million.
“But the question you have to ask, to show you all these gimmicks come and they don’t seek them out: so, somebody is in the service for 10 years, but they don’t have the level in the service, that that person is going to get the duty-free concession, but their boss can’t get it?
“And those who are civil servants will know the confusion, which you going have.”
In making the announcement, the opposition leader had noted that the highest category of civil servants are entitled to 75% off the duty of a vehicle every four years.
He said that these are the public sector workers who need such a concession the least.
However, Gonsalves said the NDP’s proposed policy would result in “pure bacchanal.
“These are people who just think they could kerfuffle you, and they want to promise everything for one thing: to see if they could get into power,” he said.
“They thirsty for this thing. You think it easy to be in opposition for 25 years?” said Gonsalves, who was in politics for 15 years before winning a seat and spent a further seven in opposition before coming to office.
“It’s like a jail term without parole, and you’re watching at another five years. This is their last train to San Fernando. And even miss this one, they’d never get another one.”
Regarding the concession for equipment that creatives use, Gonsalves said that a wide range of digital equipment already have duty duty-free concession.
“But what you have to deal with, as a policy, we spent $80 million on building up the internet backbone for the country, to make it easier for you to get internet.
“And then we spend another $80 million — what we’re doing right now to make government more efficient, e-government so that you can pay your taxes online, so that instead of the old type of title deed, you could have a shortened form and electronically that you can clear goods from customs online — you don’t have to go there.
“… This is what it forward forward-looking political party of government will talk about, not damn foolish gimmicks. Nonsense!”
The Unity Labour Party is seeking an unprecedented sixth consecutive term in office in the Nov. 27 general election.
The NDP is hoping to claw its way back to office after almost 25 years in opposition.
Ulp will be history in the next couple of weeks.
Only the PM alone has ideas? Only he alone can come up with monies to do stuff? Only Ralph alone can rung country? Your ideas are not gimmickery they are some other ….rey?
Ralp is the best choice for prime minister ,
He is smart worldly and care about his people. God bless him