Former Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate Ryan Walters believes that Barbadians can no longer continue to survive on “temporary solutions” to fix the permanent problems plaguing society.
Drawing on a number of initiatives that were recently extended by the Government, the politician said the short-term measures being used to address the cost of living are “an indication that temporary solutions do not provide sustainable relief”.
“With Minister Ryan Straughn stating that there will be temporary reductions in Value-Added-Tax (VAT) in utility bills, what justifiable reason can the Government put forward on October 1 later this year to increase your cost by 10 per cent at that time?
“The most recent announcement by Minister Kerrie Symmonds on February 9, 2023, of a second social compact that will last six months, reinforces my belief that this Government is only capable of finding temporary solutions to permanent problems,” he said.
The business executive also questioned Government’s capability.
“The past year has been interesting as I watched the Government put measures in place to combat the rising cost of food and goods. Interestingly enough, the favourite word used by Government officials was “temporary”. In other words, this Government was unable to deliver permanent solutions to a permanent problem.
“Over and over again, we hear the word relief used in sentences that end in three months, six months, nine months, etc. As we continually hear these phrases, we are left to wonder if this Government is capable of effectively addressing the cost of living or any of the other social ills we are currently wrestling in Barbados,” he wrote on his Facebook page over the weekend.
Walters accused the Government of gaining immensely from increased taxation while Barbadians were forced to endure “permanent pain”.
“Barbadians need permanent solutions to fix the permanent problem called inflation or as the ordinary man would say: ‘we need to stop prices from gine up’. The outgoing Governor of the Central Bank is on record stating that the Government is benefiting from the inflation dividend. Simply put, the Government is making more money in taxes and duties because the cost of goods has risen.”
He continued: “It is not good enough for the Government to solely blame outside sources for the increases, especially when the same Government benefits from more duty revenue, more tax revenue and more Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue because the prices of goods have increased and taxes, duties and VAT are applied to the cost of the same goods.
“The Government is earning much more revenue now that prices and taxes have both risen. The Government benefits even though consumer spending is devalued. Essentially, the Government wins in every scenario.”
Repeating a call he made weeks ago at a St. Michael North West branch meeting, Walters advised the Government to craft policies that directly benefit and empower the people.
“As I have said before: ‘Take care of the people and the economy will take care of itself’. I am a believer in the statement and I urge this Government to start crafting and implementing policies that reflect this.”
He added: “Over the past five years, prices in Barbados have risen by a whopping 23.9 per cent cumulatively. Bajans are feeling the pinch. There is definitely a need for some permanent intervention from policymakers to slow the impact of this down, especially to vulnerable and low-income households.
“Permanent measures will also bring a level of peace of mind to consumers as well as allow them to be able to afford a decent standard of living,” Walters said. (IMC)
