The Government of Saint Lucia introduced the Health and Security Levy (The Levy) to raise additional revenue to finance health and security projects for the benefit of Saint Lucians and visitors to our island.
The revenue from the Health and Security Levy will go towards the maintenance of police stations around the island, providing additional tools and equipment for law enforcement officers and funding the rollout of the government’s Universal Healthcare (UHC) project to make public healthcare more affordable and accessible for the average Saint Lucian.
THE FACTS
WHO PAYS THE LEVY?
- The Levy is charged on goods entering Saint Lucia by the Customs & Excise Department.
- The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) on behalf of the Government of Saint Lucia, collects The Levy on services only.
EXEMPTIONS:
Goods that did not attract Value Added Tax (VAT) and zero-rated goods will not be subjected to The Levy. This exemption ensures fairness and transparency in the taxation system.
EXAMPLE SCENARIO:
If you import charcoal products into Saint Lucia, your goods will be subjected to The Levy in alignment with the government’s commitment to strengthening health and citizen security.
PLEASE NOTE: The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) does not collect The Levy from the sale of locally-made charcoal.
There are no charcoal merchants registered with the IRD collecting The Levy on behalf of the government. The IRD on behalf of the Government of Saint Lucia, collects The Levy on services.
The Government of Saint Lucia remains dedicated to improving the health and security of its citizens. It is grateful for the cooperation of importers and the local community in achieving this shared goal.
SOURCE: Office of the Prime Minister
Next time around voters will have to ask these Poli trickers are you just going to talk or are you don’t to take action and stand on your words we are now well aware from the UWP to SLP who are the talkers and who are the doers. I’ll just take this article as just talks nothing more.
The ministry of health have come all over the south including saltibus communities and sprayed cancer causing agents like deet all over in that area. I could not even breathe. And they are indiscriminately spraying the very crops and leaves we now have to eat. St Lucia has an epidemic of cancer and young people are dying of it. There are scientific studies out there that knows these chemicals cause cancer. I would rather have a mosquito bite or 2 rather than subject myself to this. The people who do not know any better are watching this nonsense with not a thought in their head. And these same people will go and use the very vegetables that these people just sprayed not knowing this is poison. How about you people encourage proper garbage disposal and pay to clean rivers and gutters too! Whoever had this not so bright idea to do this better stop! Imagine a pregnant woman being subjected to fumigating with this! You people in the ministry of health are clueless and all u know is how to sing for you all supper . Questionable decisions all round! Most people have window netting now! Why are u using cancer causing chemicals in the communyy?
So why does it say wood products in the bill; wood charcoal specifically. A whole year to enact this bill with many delays and postponements and still so much confusion and loopholes that the desperate UWP party can exploit for political mileage. All these lawyers and a simple 2.5% increase y’all cannot enact. See, you should have simply returned the VAT to 15% which is the whole intention of the 2.5 levy. This is an example of trying to be clever but not bright! Stop embarrassing us PJP and crew.
We pay road tax yet the roads in a mess. We pay income tax and the schools run down. We pay value added tax and the hospitals can’t finish. And you’re saying another tax will benefit us. People need to start sharpening their pitchforks. Politicians have lost all respect and fear of the masses. They need a reminder of that power.
$141 million for consultancies to reward your hacks. Increase in bread because you could not find $8.5 million a year to subsidize flour. Communication officer in every ministry— 4000 a month *12 months*10 ministries. #Wastage. Please streamline the public service. Ok, I get it some positions we have to keep however please stop creating posts to reward your political supporters. Why is it that austerity measures are only being forced on citizens while there is no trimming of the public service fat!