Padarath: Let the People Decide, Hold Referendum on Property Tax
Princes Town MP, Barry Padarath is calling on the Rowley led administration to let the population decide whether they want the imposition of the property tax or not through a national referendum.
Padarath stated that several countries throughout the world puts the power in the hands of the people on important and controversial decisions like these. He further added that this would be a step in the right direction towards strengthening our democracy and empowering the citizens of our country to contribute to the decision making process that affects their lives.
He stated that the announcement of the imposition of the property tax has become a worrisome and traumatic experience for many citizens in the country, who are still in the dark on how it would be assessed and calculated. The Princes Town MP stated that a national referendum would do two main things, it would give a voice to a voiceless and weary population on this issue and it would provide an opportunity for citizens to be educated on the implications and the mechanics of how it will be collected.
Padarath also lamented that the Rowley led Administration was sending mixed signals to the population, in that the property tax was raised during the last local government election when the government promised local government reform. He added that the Rowley led administration promised to use the revenues from the property tax to empower local government bodies to collect and utilise these taxes in their own regions to fix schools, roads hospitals etc., however this will not materialise and the revenue will now go into the consolidated fund.
The Princes Town MP stated that the property tax cannot simply just be about the government trying to raise revenue without considering the impact it would have on the citizens, in the context of the national environment where there are job losses and a declining economy. He indicated that type approach was dictatorial and cautioned the Rowley led administration not to impose a harsh and brutal tax on the population.
The MP indicated that Trinidad and Tobago needed to start doing things differently and become forward thinking he gave an example of the United Kingdom on the controversial Brexit issue where the citizens were empowered through a national vote to make a decision on the United Kingdom staying in the European Union or not.
Padarath further stated that he would stand with the opposition to give a voice to the people of Trinidad and Tobago on the property tax issue and that he felt that the best way to go forward would be a national referendum so that citizens could indicate their displeasure and dissatisfaction.