Saint Lucia’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a package of benefits across diverse sectors that will improve the economic outlook for several households.
In November, an extensive concession was approved that will make employees of the Water and Sewerage Company Incorporated (WASCO) exempt from the payment of income taxes in lieu of retroactive pay.
The income tax exemption will cover a five-year pay period from January 2019 to June 2023.
Another approved exemption will extend the waiver for residential property tax by an additional year.
The Ministry of Finance said the waiver will improve financial prospects for many families, some of which are still in recovery due to challenges posed by the post-COVID-19 economy and compounded global inflation.
Cabinet also approved a request for the renewal of tax concessions on hybrid and electric vehicles that allow for reduced fuel consumption.
The exemptions, government said, should stimulate economic activity by increasing expendable income for those who stand to benefit.
SOURCE: Government Information Service
And the roads?????? Everything but the roads. You expect tourists to come to our country and spend $$$$ but the roads are disgusting.
Tourists don’t want to stay in airbnb’s and farmers etc can’t get their produce out of the fields to sell because of the extreme conditions of side roads.
Gais Bois Road hasn’t been touched for years, all the farmers on that road and the residents are fedup with false promises and you go on about Hybrid cars REALLY? We haven’t got any good roads to drive them on. The South is the forgotten poor relation to North yet thats where most of the tourists fly into and a lot want to stay.
I’m sick to death with this government and the last doing nothing for the people just acquiring more and more debt and for what? We the people are not seeing any of the money spent and how is this government going to pay back the billions they have borrowed up until now?
Tourists who come to spend their hard earned cash will go elsewhere not our beautiful St Lucia.
@ fedup u right our beautiful st.lucia is reverting to natural,we getting our dirt roads of pre civilization whilst the bellybags soaring in private jets sh*tting in our fresh air supply with our hard to earn heavily taxed monies.
It would be more appropriate for the headline to read “CABINET EXTENDS CONCESSION, APPROVED EXEMPTIONS, ACROSS DIVERSE SECTORS” iT SHOULD BE MADE CLEAR THAT WASCO EXEMPTION OF INCOME TAX WAS NOT A CONCESSION AS STATED.
Benefiting a minority while shafting the most vulnerable majority. Back to front government. I think we all agree that reducing on cooking gas and fuel, removing the 2.5% levy, keeping the subsidy on flour to keep the price of bread low are all better policies which would redound to the benefit of all. For example, a removal of the $41 million budgeted for consultants for government hacks would result in no need for the Health and Safety let to raise $31 million. eg The ex mayor turned consultant in the MoH housing with no housing experience, the ex commissioner turned security consultant who submitted a schools report which the public haven’t seen and we are still seeing attacks on school children on school compounds, the Ex PS in Ministry of Health turned consultant on Health– All unnecessary consultants aimed at rewarding political supporters.