Shaw says Phillips tinkering with tax reform

Damion Mitchell,

Editor – Radio &Online



The Opposition Spokesman on Finance Minister Audley Shaw has scolded the Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips for his approach to the 2012-2013 Budget.



Making his contribution to the Budget Debate in Parliament a short while ago, Shaw had only one commendation for Phillips.



He said the finance minister had done a good job explaining the financial restrictions gripping Jamaica and the debt trap in which it has been caught.



But Shaw said the minister has failed to tackle the issue of tax reform in a bold way.



According to Shaw, Phillips has been tinkering with tax reform:



“We should have expected at least a white paper on Tax reform tabled,” he said, “... Instead we are being fed with a buffet-style helping of a few select items from the tax reform proposal.”



Shaw said the Finance Minister has identified the issues like pension reform and debt management with which he too had to grapple when the Jamaica Labour Party was in power.



But according to Shaw, the difference is that Phillips on a path that is hostile to growth.



Meanwhile rejecting claims that Jamaica lost credibility with the multilaterals because of his failure to meet some of the targets, Shaw said it’s the current Government which could lose the trust the multilaterals.



Shaw has also called for Phillips to tell the country about his interactions with the International Monetary Fund so far.



damion.mitchell@gleanerjm.com