Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves says the 2025 election manifesto launched by the incumbent Unity Labour Party on Sunday represents that “the difference between a manifesto of plans and a postcard with gimmicks that the opposition brings”.
Gonsalves, who is seeking election to a third term as MP for East St. George, told party supporters in Colonarie that if re-elected to office, the ULP will reduce income tax to 22% and raise the threshold to EC$30,000.
He said this sounds “kind of boring” and not like something that one can put on a poster but makes a difference in the pockets of working people in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Gonsalves noted that the New Democratic Party has said that it would reduce VAT from 16 to 13% and this would slash prices.
“… let us look at gimmicks versus policies designed to uplift you,” he said, adding that this means that a consumer who spends EC$100 at a supermarket will spend EC$13 on VAT rather than EC$16, a saving of EC$3.
He, however, said that the ULP’s plan will earn a constable an extra EC$1,500 a year on their salary.
“That is more than $100 a month on your paycheque, before we increase your salary, and we will increase your salary,” Gonsalves said.
“So, if you are a constable and you make $2,500 a month, you will not pay $1 in income tax under the plans in this manifesto.
“And if you are a constable and you took your entire paycheque of EC$2,500 and you took it to the supermarket, … and everything you buy is vatable, … under their plan, you will save about $38, but under our plan, you will make over $100.
“And if you are a teacher III or a staff nurse, our plan will save you over $2,000 a year in your pocket. And if you are a social worker, you will get over $3,000 a year in your pocket. And every single worker under our plan will pay reduced taxes and get more money in their pocket.
“And everybody making $2,500 or less will not pay, not even one cent in income tax, and that is how we will put more money in your pocket, in addition to reducing VAT on selected items, and in addition to increasing your salary and in addition to increasing the minimum wage.”
Gonsalves said that over the last five years, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the explosive eruption of La Soufriere volcano in April 2021 and Hurricane Beryl on July 1, 2024, the government has added 6,500 jobs to the economy.
The finance minister said the NDP says this is a lie.
“But if no jobs did add, who working by Sandals — not only here in Buccament Bay but in Turks and Caicos and around the region?” Gonsalves said.
“Who working at Lavue, which wasn’t there? Who working at Mayah Suites hotel? Who working at Holiday Inn Express Hotel? Who working at Rainforest Seafood? Who working at the Acado warehouse? Who working at Clear Harbor? Who working at the expanded OSV? Who working building all the roads around the country? Who working building all the houses around the country? Who work on building the port? Who work and build St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the aftermath of the hurricane, back to where it is today? Fool ah talk but fool nah listen.”
Gonsalves said the ULP administration will add 6,000 more jobs if re-elected to office.
“And that is a promise that we have made to you in our manifesto. And another promise is that we will reduce unemployment to below 5% in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the first time in the history of this nation,” he said.
The finance minister said the ULP plans to open a Beaches resort that will create over 2,000 jobs for young people.
And we tell you that we will attract over $2.5 billion to grow the economy in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. And we tell you that after we attract that foreign direct investment, we will move our gross domestic product from 3 billion to $4 billion in the next five years.”
The finance minister said the ULP will develop SVG “as a first-world nation over the next 15 years.
“We don’t come to you with gimmicks. We come to you with plans and programmes and policies built on principle and built on love and fellowship with the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines.”
I am not an eligible voter but do have some interest in the outcome of the elections so, I’ll say that I hope the electorate are asking questions like:
How will they makeup for the shortfall in VAT and income tax revenue as a result?
Why weren’t these adjustments implemented or even offered before voting month?
::CV-Toronto::
Many Vincentians never realize that they live in poverty because poverty is normalized in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. So they just see poverty as normal.
You gee will get she justice some good day , wen yo live in ah glass house na throw stones