Government yesterday sought to justify the increase in taxes on tobacco and alcohol, saying they were being imposed to create a nurturing society, to extend life and to preserve family life.
Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira, piloting the Provisional Collection of Taxes Orders in the House of Representatives yesterday, said, ’The mortality rate in Trinidad and Tobago has a lot to do with what we call non-communicable diseases or lifestyle diseases. In fact, the vast majority of our chronic non-communicable diseases-heart disease, obesity, cancer-major contributors are tobacco and alcohol. We are not only talking about the mortality rate. We are all too familiar with the socio-economic impact of alcohol and tobacco.... Many persons here know about the effect of alcohol on family life and the quality of life.... And, therefore, this Government, in its commitment to creating a nurturing society, has done a number of things.’
But Opposition MP Vasant Bharath said these were nothing more than revenue-raising measures.
’It is like a dose of salt, part two, written, directed and starring another bungling PNM (People’s National Movement) administration,’ he said.
’De money done, and the only place to go and get it is from the people out there. All this ’tra la la’ about caring about people’s health and lifestyles is absolute rubbish. This is a Government which should have introduced the breathalyser many years ago, if they were so concerned about people’s health and welfare. But nothing has happened,’ Bharath stated.
He added that the population was angry about the increase in taxes, especially when Government spent $1 billion on a hemispheric conference, in which the population saw no benefits and was proposing to embark on spending another $500 million on another conference.
Works Minister Colm Imbert intervened to say that this had nothing to do with the taxes on tobacco and alcohol. But Bharath, much to the amusement of the House, said Government had brought two cruise ships for these conferences to host parties, at which guests could be drinking Old Oak and smoking DuMaurier.
Bharath added that the population was also angry that $3.2 million was spent on drapes at the prime minister’s residence where he entertains with drinks and cigarettes. All this, Bharath said, as the country’s debt grew to $70 billion, if one added the domestic debt, external debt and contingent liabilities.
’So Trinidad and Tobago again is now bankrupt, and we are now mortgaging our children’s future,’ he said.
He said the taxes are callous and heartless and would affect the most vulnerable, the poor, the old and all those on fixed incomes.
’Are you advocating the consumption of alcohol and tobacco-smoking by pensioners, that is what you are advocating?’ Imbert intervened to ask.
’This is a free country, they can do whatever they want with their money,’ Bharath replied.
Imbert, who spoke immediately after, seized upon Bharath’s comment, stating that the United National Congress MP was advocating that Government should remove the taxes on alcohol and tobacco, ’so that pensioners could drink and smoke themselves to death’.
Bharath protested but Imbert was undaunted as he insisted that was what Bharath had stated.
Imbert said Government expected to receive $125 million from these taxes, which constituted 15 per cent of the entire budget. It was not a revenue-raising measure but was designed to promote good health and family life, he insisted, listing the diseases which one could get from tobacco and alcohol abuse.
