A Tax on Books is Outright Madness

The Govt. had better think twice about closing some small rural schools. The same government did, for economic reasons before and that is a part of the history of education. Is this government living up to its past reputation of not caring about educating the masses? I warn the powers that be, closing schools will come back to haunt you when you least expect it to. You put no thought into taxing books now read history and put some thought into closing schools.

The Golding government is not taxing textbooks. As issued by the Office of the Prime Minister on Friday, May 1, 2009, the direct JIS quote is, “he said books required for educational purposes will not attract taxes. But he said there were some grey areas as there may be some books that are educational but may not be prescribed by tertiary institutions or on the Ministry of Education’s list. Mr. Golding said efforts would be made by government to shelter those from the GCT. People who wish to read leisure/pleasure magazines every month, must pay some GCT as it would be unfair to ask poor people to bear these taxes, Mr. Golding said.”

I do have concern for GCT being applied to purchases of computers only by or through academic institutions. I understand PM Golding’s argument that “Computers can be a learning tool but the majority of the computers being brought into the island are not being used for learning.” However, computer literacy in this high-tech, Information Age is a must for Jamaica to compete not only with advanced countries, but with Third World nations (such as Belize that dropped taxes and import duties in the 1980s) that see its dual benefits of learning and technological growth (e.g., the use of G.I.S. mapping and statistical programs in enhancing farming and improving public health).

There is already a “sin” tax on alcohol and cigarettes via GCT, excise, trade tariffs, and customs duties. I have confidence in our tax policy makers that they have carefully studied that area and recognized that there is little or no elasticity without invoking a greater social cost via the illegal or underground trade, which will lead to greater gun running and substitution via increased use and/or trade in controlled substances such as ganja or other more lethal narcotics such as the resurging LSD. I also believe they are aware of the failure of the US to ban alcohol that influenced cross border trading and the rise of the mafia as well as the use of Caribbean islands as trans-shipment points; and, the covert use of secret services to punish nations that heavily restrict vices such as casinos.

It looks like the Golding administration saw its shadow (Sister P in black?). Instead of a differentiated tax for various tobacco and alcohol products ranged from 16% to 30%, they set a grouped, median, 25% Special Consumption Tax (SCT). They also contradicted their earlier justification for not “increasing” taxes on these products, most of which are produced in Jamaica, unless this SCT does not apply to local products.

I hope this SCT is an additional “sin” tax, but from what I have read, it appears to be a consolidated tax. If so, their retreat will lead to a severe revenue shortfall. Stalin would have told them to dig their own graves if they planned to retreat. Since they choose not to rollback the fuel-transportation taxes, which impacts the cost of food and basic goods, the incidence of the new taxes is squarely upon the poor and middle class (j-uppies).

A historic one-term government is now conceivable… Sister P and Dr. O, get ready to rumbleeeeee…

Griffins – It is best for you to directly ask Sister P and Dr. O that question. Who do you think did anything for the poor over the last 18 years? Are you involved in or contribute to community organizations and churches that directly help the poor such as Food for the Poor and Salvation Army? Do you buy or give food and/or clothing to a poor person? Have you ever taken a homeless person off the street and paid for a stay in a hotel?

Successive Jamaican government policies and programs from independence have been designed to lessen the burden of the poor and improve their status. Most Jamaicans often overlook or take for granted public education, which during Sister P’s service under “Joshua” was extended down to the basic schools and daycare (to support single parents) and upward to free college education for those who could not afford to study abroad. You must remember that education is a privilege and not a right in.

Another area is Health and Nutrition: again under “Joshua” via Sister P’s service, just about every community had access to a free health clinic which provided the necessary medical treatment and nutritional support for pregnant and lactating women. Some of Jamaica’s middle class took that nutritional support (soya and bulgur products, as well as priced supported basic food items) to feed their dogs while poor people starved, suffered, and struggled to survive. Children attending our public schools received government prepared meals as it was acknowledged that “yu ca larn pan ungry belli.”

This should help answer your question but this should not be taken as my endorsing any political party or icon, as the other parties and icons also made poignant contributions to alleviate poverty in Jamaica and throughout the Third World during their tenure in office. Jamaicans take too much for granted do to insular thinking. It helps to visit or study (in) other countries and participate in service organization in order to see reality. The point you missed is that the JLP has now shown weakness that will lead to the strengthening of Sister P and the rise of Dr. O as the PNP’s key figures for the next government.

Oliver – You have proven my case that Jamaicans often “overlook and take for granted” ongoing efforts by our governments to provide a variety of programs to relive the burden on the poor and to make sure that all our children have an equal opportunity to get a basic education. This perspective is coming from a non-PNP person who does not support Sister P, but one who recognizes and applauds her and their collective efforts to improve the status of Jamaica and other Third World (e.g., ACP) nations.

When the Israelites were miraculously freed from slavery and released from bondage in Egypt, they bickered, bitched, and moaned that they had to make an effort to get to the Promised Land. On their journey they cried out for the unhealthy, waste and scraps of food the Egyptians used to throw at them. The Lord provided them with a rich source of protein (quail) and fortified bread (manna), but they continued to be ungrateful, such that many choked and died while they grumbled and complained.

Eventually, that generation that refused to acknowledge God’s provisions, power, and mercy, ended up walking in circles and died before they reached the Promised Land. You have chosen to highlight a few misunderstood areas while rejecting the overall efforts made by successive governments just at those Israelites rejected the Almighty’s protection and provisions for his favored people, extended to us, his adopted.

Soy and bulgur products have risen to become the primary alternatives to wheat and barley products throughout the world. They can be easily grown in the tropical and equatorial regions (e.g., ACP and Southern hemisphere), and we got them free for the poor and anyone who wished to shift from dependence on the traditional, high cost, imported wheat and barley products. Throughout the advanced/highly developed world, varieties of soy and bulgur products can now be found on supermarket shelves as premium, health enhancing/improving products.

We could choose to get enriched soy and bulgur products for free or pay for something else, but many were too rigid in thought and resistant to change to see the benefits?

Medical care and approved medicines were free in those health centers. There were some cases when a few misguided clinics charged a service fee but that was stopped when the PNP government was notified – it was the JLP government that imposed a service charge and an education cess. I spent lots of time helping in rural, urban, and inner-city clinics across the island, as my mother was a Senior Public Health Nurse.

As for schools, you need only look some 90 or so miles away to respect our national achievements and goal of having everyone “standing from an equal gate.” Many young and poor nations like ours have a high level of illiteracy, but ours, during the seventies, was better than the United State’s. We are blessed that our fore parents emphasized education as a means to evolve for slavery and servitude to strive towards developing a progressive and productive nation (“Wi likkle bu wi tallawah”).

Many of our peer nations do not have enough classrooms (much less schools) to protect, serve, and educate their children. We are fortunate to have had centuries of education for the children of freed slaves such as Wolmers with over 280 years of such. When teachers were given the opportunity to earn a bachelors degree, tuition free, to enhance their classroom skills, yet many left education to sell insurance, work in banks, or migrate; who then is responsible for your so-called “conveyor belt” school system?

When successive government expanded access to primary and secondary education (through UNESCO funding and Cuban built schools via barter trade) to accommodate the rapidly growing population, some fathered by JA men who put the Panther on their big toe and sought virgins to cure their STDs, who then is responsible for not sending their children to school and having them be idle during their formative years?

Our governments have provided the means to teach a man to fish, rather than to just give them fish (or “bred”) when they are hungry. You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot force them to drink. We have to “emancipate yourselves from mental slavery” that we have imposed upon ourselves. We need to stop thinking critically (i.e., finding fault and blaming others) but instead do critical thinking (i.e., careful evaluation and problem solving); and work collectively and cooperatively utilizing our God given gifts while recognizing our fore parents and elders who laid the foundations.

Richard Williams – I will ignore the soy, manna and quail gibberish.

Re – Health Clinics.
Here is a challenge – visit one of them, get attended to and still go to work for even half a day. When you have accomplished that task then you can boast about our wonderful health care.

Re – Education
You seem to presume that school buildings represent the nucleus of the educational system. Therefore as long as there are x number of schools, even if they turn out mostly illiterates it doesnt matter, our system is still first class.

These matters are not best addressed by whitewash and silly biblical analogies.

Oliver it is obvious that your mind is not open to new facts and that you do not respect other’s experience and knowledge. As per health clinics, I not only helped in various clinics across JA but I even slept in one in Manchoniel over summer holidays. I have also helped at urban clinics such as Tivoli and Trench Town, and rural clinics such as Alexandria and Bito. You may have had a bad experience at one of hundreds of health centers/clinics, but one bad apple does not spoil the whole bunch.

I have spent whole days at hospitals and many a half-day at private doctors in the US, so your experience is the worldwide healthcare norm. In some cases in the US, you will not be seen that day if there are many trauma/emergency cases that “bump” you. I will not hesitate to commend our fine Nurses who, despite threats to their life, body, and family, they professionally took care of those who made those threats, many of who were at death’s door and could have been terminated by just ignoring them.

Instead of complaining, bitching, and moaning, you need to get out of your shell and comparatively observe how health care is delivered in poor versus advanced countries, and especially how governments of poor countries develop strategies to successfully manage the health of their people with limited funding and few highly trained persons. You should do this if you wish to learn about Public Healthcare Policy in JA. But I bet you will only have a flippant comment that ignores facts and reality.

Oliver –You have misrepresented my comments claiming that I said that our governments have done exceedingly well when nothing of that sort was said. You strayed away from Tobi’s question of what was done for the poor in 18 years, and you demonstrate great anger against Jamaica, which really is FEAR. The main issue is that you cannot counter the facts and hard evidence that “successive” Jamaican governments have instituted many policies and programs to help the poor and educate our people.

None of my comments said that they did a consistent or good job. When you read my previous comments and my own articles do, you will find we may be in agreement with the quality of our educational and health system. However, I will always defend Jamaica’s efforts, encourage improvements, and acknowledge our successes that some Jamaicans conveniently forget then spread misleading negative news abroad.

As a researcher and teacher of public policy, one person’s five-sense is not sufficient for induction or deduction or to assess cause and effect. You need evidence and good documentation to understand why our system was created, how it operates, identify the problems, develop solutions, use appropriate techniques to choose the optimal solutions, prioritize implementation in respect to need and funding levels, conduct periodic reviews, then make appropriate changes.

This approach combines the scientific method with the continuous improvement model. My comments will never follow a “blog” mentality but will seek truth, bring facts, and different perspectives as well as new information. I encourage you to do the same if you really want Jamaica and its people to succeed in the 21st Century and beyond. We must also increase our tolerance of different perspective and respect each other’s views.

Tobi – I am sorry that you were hurt by certain comments. You are also included among those I commend/applaud who have and continue to contribute towards the development and growth of Jamaica.

I do teach (a gift from childhood; from K-12 to university level) and do community work (up to my eyeballs). I too have had my former students, some which I may vaguely remember, stop and thank me. Fortunately, I do not have to again encourage them.

I too do not seek the limelight for myself but will highlight Jamaica’s positives and negatives, with balance, as I try to encourage positive, sustained change. Nevertheless, thanks again for your contributions.

Toby – It’s the blog mentality again! To be understood clearly you need to write precisely; that’s why Oliver and you buck up. Exposing the truth is more important than only exposing crap as he/she who delves in crap will be surrounded by crap. I too can say I have never heard of a Toby Griffins despite travelling across the length and breath of Jamaica. It is unfortunate that you did not receive my blind compliment to you.

Good morning my friends, Richard and Oliver, do not let old Toby get under your skin, I a as harmless as a dove. I just love how you both keep the dialogue going. It will be a rainbow day when we three can drink a pint blokes. Looking forward to that day.

Good thing we can share and compliment each other. The struggle is tough, but we can laugh in spite of the situation.