Relief or Vote Buying? : PNP Questions Legitimacy of Reverse Tax Credit

Relief or vote-buying?

That’s the question being asked by the opposition People’s National Party, PNP, about the government’s one-time grant of $20,000 for Jamaicans 18 years and older who are not registered for the reverse income tax credit.

Robian Williams reports.

The PNP’s Patricia Duncan Sutherland, says the government’s one-time grant of $20,000 smacks of desperation by the Holness-led Jamaica Labour Party to secure votes. 

The spokesperson on social protection and social transformation, says while the PNP welcomes any initiative aimed at assisting vulnerable members of society, several questions remain unanswered.

These include transparency, fairness, and accountability in the implementation of this programme.

The one-time $20,000 grant will start in February 2025. The beneficiaries will be assessed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

But Mrs. Duncan-Sutherland is calling on the government to urgently provide a clear and public outline of the criteria for eligibility, disclose the number of expected beneficiaries and the total allocation for the programme and establish independent oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability in the delivery process.

She says a robust, transparent framework must be implemented to ensure that those who truly need this assistance receive it.