Call for special VAT-free shopping for people who got pensions late

Founder of the Blessed Widow Ministry, Sharmaine Roland-Bowen is appealing to Government to provide a VAT holiday for widows and elderly persons who would have missed out on Monday’s tax-free shopping due to the late payment of pensions.

Roland-Bowen said due to no fault of their own, those categories of Barbadians did not get money in time to cash in on the initiative.

At a press conference on Wednesday, she pleaded: “Please, don’t leave us out. Put us into the loop. Whatever can be worked out, give us something. Make us happy. Give us a good Christmas present this year and you will not only be helping us widows alone but you would be helping other pensioners.”

“I would like people who can and who are in a position to, to reconsider at this time to include us, to look out for us because it was not our fault that we received the cheques late. I know that they have records and they would know who got the cheques even before Monday. I am talking about us, like me for instance, who only received my cheque yesterday [on Tuesday]. Do something for us too, not only for one but for all.”

Roland-Bowen suggested that there was still time to allow pensioners and widows to benefit.

“This thing with the VAT-free day was put in place in a matter of days, over the weekend, and by Monday it was in place. Even now, we still have three days until Christmas,” she said.

“This can be made up for by allowing us the same discount added to our cheques in January. If it was 10 per cent, whatever it is when they worked it out, if we can get that additional on our cheques, then that would compensate for what we would have missed out on.”

Roland-Bowen said the 70-plus members of her organisation and elderly persons who received their cheques after Monday, should also be given the opportunity to stretch their budgets by being exempt from paying the 17.5 per cent VAT on goods and hire purchase sales.

“Every cent counts for us when we don’t have a husband to support us; when we don’t have children to support us, we depend on that pension. And if that pension can be increased by any amount, we welcome it. It would go further; it would stretch further.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb