KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Thursday blasted the main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) for criticizing the government’s position of not imposing any new taxes on citizens for nine consecutive budgets.
The Prime Minister who was making his contribution to the 2024/25 Budget Debate accused Opposition leader Mark Golding of spreading lies.
On Tuesday, in his contribution to the debate, Golding questioned repeated claim by Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke of no new taxes.
“The minister likes to make a song-and-dance about no new taxes imposed since over $30 billion of new taxes was imposed in the first two years of the JLP Government elected in 2016. However, it is important to recognise that the taxes being collected from the Jamaican people have risen dramatically under this government,” Golding then said.
But in response, Holness said the opposition does not understand or “are too ashamed to admit their government has never been able to do this.”
“They cannot admit that more Jamaicans are employed now than at any other time, so more Jamaicans have income and purchasing power. The new hotels that have been built, the new BPOs and construction projects, the small businesses and medium enterprises all contribute their fair share to the tax revenue”.
The prime minister noted that wage levels have increased, and more persons are seeing the benefit of joining the formal economy, by becoming compliant and contributing to the tax pool.
“The government in turn takes these tax revenues and return it to the citizens in ways that increase quality of life. We have increased public sector wages, we have increased expenditure on national security, health, education, water, pensions and social security. Moreover, we have used your taxes to bring down debt servicing, which creates more room to spend on the things that matter to you,” said the prime minister.
Holness boasted that his government has created a stable and robust macroeconomic environment of fiscal certainty which supports employment and income generation, capital investment, and increased economic activity.
“This has allowed my Administration, the Andrew Holness Administration, to present nine consecutive budgets with no net new taxes. More than that, my administration has actively reduced the tax burden on the people of the country,” he said.
Holness also announced that the national minimum wage is to be increased from J$13,000 (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) to J$15,000 for a 40-hour work week, effective June 1.
The minimum wage for industrial security guards is to move from $14,000 to $15,000 per week.
In a significant move to address to generational poverty, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of the Jamaica 60 HOPE For Children Trust Fund.
The Fund, which will be seeded by annual government contributions and open to private donations, will be accessible by any child born on or after the 60th anniversary of independence who is on PATH or is a Ward of the State.
The Prime Minister says the accumulated funds, including interest, will be accessible by the child on or after his or her 18th birthday for specific purposes such as education or business investment. He says the programme is to provide children with a lump sum to give them a start in life upon reaching adulthood.
The Prime Minister then addressed the lack of access to several beaches across the country.
He told legislators that the Government has crafted a beach access and management policy to be tabled at the next sitting of the House of Representatives.
The policy is to ensure that beaches are preserved, and sustainably managed for present and future generations and provision is made for access for Jamaicans and visitors alike.
“There is one thing to speak about access. There is another thing to actually enable access. We believe everybody must get access. They give their words; we give you the beach. Some people talk about beach access, we give you beach access,” Holness said.
He also said the Government will upgrade several beaches across the island for public access.
Turing to the island’s road network, he said the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project, when completed, will be renamed in honour of National Hero Paul Bogle.
Bogle was a leader of the 1865 Morant Bay protesters who marched for justice and fair treatment for all the people in Jamaica – a march which led to the Morant Bay rebellion.
He was conferred with the Order of the National Hero in 1969.
Holness also addressed the matter surrounding his wife, Juliet Holness, concerning her position of Speaker of the House.
On Tuesday, during the contribution to the budget debate by leader of the main opposition Peoples’ National Party (PNP), Mark Golding questioned Mrs. Holness’ impartiality as House Speaker, given her relationship with the Prime Minister.
This led to a walk out by government members.
But on Thursday, as he opened the debate, Holness, paid tribute to his wife,to loud applause from members on the government benches he said Juliet Holness’ accomplishments were due to her own hard work.
“ (She is) an independent woman, a self-made woman, who has achieved all that she had on her own effort, in her own right,” he said.
Meanwhile, opposition legislators attended Thursday’s budget debate althou there had been speculation on whether the they would boycott the remainder of the Budget Debate after Opposition Leader Mark Golding was unable to complete his presentation on Tuesday due to the lack of a quorum.
A statement from the PNP on Thursday morning said its caucus of parliamentarians convened and thoroughly deliberated on its attendance at Thursday’s sitting of the House.
The opposition members, who initially appeared not to be present, walked into Gordon House shortly after the parliamentary sitting was convened on Thursday afternoon.
The PNP said its decision was guided by its unwavering commitment to serving the people of Jamaica.
