#JaVotes2016: JLP Busy Making Promises Already Implemented - Portia

By: Admin

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People's National Party (PNP) President Portia Simpson Miller was in Papine, St Andrew on Wednesday night bashing the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) saying it is busy making promises but has not taken stock of the reality that many are already implemented.

It was the same venue from which Simpson Miller spoke in 2011 promising that General Consumption Tax would be removed from light bills.

However, the promise was not honoured as the PNP government, instead of removing the tax, only shifted the consumption level on which GCT may be applied from 200 kwh to 350kwh and above. 

On Wednesday night, Simpson Miller did not revisit her 2011 promise to remove GCT from light bills but turned her attention to other commitments she said her party has made, which the JLP is now also promising.

"They don't even realise that some of the things they are promising the PNP has already done," Simpson Miller said.

One promise which the JLP has made is to charge interest on the reducing balance for loans from the Students' Loan Bureau.

But Simpson Miller insists this was announced by her administration long ago and will soon be implemented.

"We have increased the income tax threshold many times we have increased the minimum wage many times," Simpson Miller also said.

"Others can only promise tax relief," she added.

The JLP has promised to remove income tax for persons earning an annual salary of up to $1.5 million.

The current tax threshold of $592,800 would remain for people earning more than $1.5 million.

The PNP in its manifesto launched on Tuesday promised to lower income tax and GCT but has refused to say by how much and by when.

Meanwhile, Simpson Miller has promised that her administration will provide more assistance to coffee farmers.

She urged party supporters to get a copy of the party manifesto and to share it's contents with members of their communities.