Monday, May 07, 2007
Go away VAT
Who knew that there would come a time when I would be mortally afraid of going to the supermarket and stores? Well, the arrival of VAT on May 1st to these shores has effectively caused this to happen. For months we were hearing about consumption tax,it's removal and the new tax rates on items with the introduction of VAT. It became more real when the stores went on massive pre VAT sales which the public thoroughly enjoyed. By May 2nd word had quickly spread regarding the new prices in the shops.
With a brave mind I walked into the Cable office on Thursday only to hear that I had to pay 15% on both cable and internet service. There went an extra $ 21 from my purse. I got a reprieve from the phone company but word is come June we will pay up. Cell providers are also in on the act but they take their pound of flesh from your talk time. So,if you but a $10 card your talk time is $8.50.
Friday was supermarket day and I would say 95% of the items showed an increase. I was literally scared to pick up items for fear I won't have enough money at the cash register. I did great -thanks in part to buying the basics only but I swear I have to get into back yard planting.
They tell us that the prices will level off but they also told us that some items would be cheaper. Am yet to see anything cheaper and who knows when the levelling off will happen.Meantime,the public frets as the disposable income gets smaller and smaller. LIAT fares are so ridiculously high that we practically grounded and now VAT tryimg its best to slowly starve us. What a life!
With a brave mind I walked into the Cable office on Thursday only to hear that I had to pay 15% on both cable and internet service. There went an extra $ 21 from my purse. I got a reprieve from the phone company but word is come June we will pay up. Cell providers are also in on the act but they take their pound of flesh from your talk time. So,if you but a $10 card your talk time is $8.50.
Friday was supermarket day and I would say 95% of the items showed an increase. I was literally scared to pick up items for fear I won't have enough money at the cash register. I did great -thanks in part to buying the basics only but I swear I have to get into back yard planting.
They tell us that the prices will level off but they also told us that some items would be cheaper. Am yet to see anything cheaper and who knows when the levelling off will happen.Meantime,the public frets as the disposable income gets smaller and smaller. LIAT fares are so ridiculously high that we practically grounded and now VAT tryimg its best to slowly starve us. What a life!
# posted by Abeni @ 5:59 AM 
Comments:
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I have been hearing about this thing for a while, although SVG is my home I spent a lot of my life in Trinidad and was there when VAT was introduced, needless to say that within months petty robbery went up and the rest is history, I am traveling for carnival and was planning on looking for some security in terms of a job so that I can return home.... but I might have to re-evaluate my position on that... anyway hope to meet you some time Abeni when I get home
# posted by 
: 3:06 PM
: 3:06 PM 
in barbados they give you the grocery prices on the item including the vat which i think is great cause then you can still do a bit of math in your head. up here in toronto its guess how much they will put on. full tax is two taxes federal and provincial 7 and 8 % respectively but occasionally you only get one put on or if the items cheap enough nothing at all
i promise to go buy all my groceries one item at a time one day just to avoid the tax
i promise to go buy all my groceries one item at a time one day just to avoid the tax
Kami, y'all been getting away wid slackness fuh too long :-)) Is now wunna haffa pay VAT..man we been paying dat in Barbados and throughout fuh de longest time now..but Hold tight my dear it'll all level out and you'll get accustomed to it.
good ol taxes....woke up this morning to the front page story that edmonton city council pushing through a 10% increase in property taxes which works out to $200 increase for the average household cause they say they need another $70 mil to "maintain" current services. they wont even fix the roads which are severely pot-holed-especially for a "first world" city- but they plunking down $88mil for some art gallery that less than 1% of the population going use and on top of that want to give themselves some kinda raise.... cant even get away from tax when i go back to antigua now that they have that 15% sales tax....phew...well thats my rant for the day
# posted by : 11:02 AM
: 11:02 AM
Taxes taxes taxes. Trust me we have all types of taxes here. :( We have income tax prpoerty tax, importation tax, general consumption tax...... I guess your VAT is the same as our general consumption taxes. You'll soon get use to it and it won't come in like anything. Just another method of government raping the population.
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