A reduction of the Berbice Bridge toll is being “actively considered” by Cabinet and some advice has been sought from a group of experts, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said yesterday.
At a post-Cabinet press briefing, Harmon acknowledged that a reduction is included in his government’s first 100 days programme but said that the administration has not reached “a point where we can say this is what will happen.”
He said the issue has already been reviewed but Cabinet has asked “another set of experts to look at the figure with a view of reducing the toll.”
“So, we have a commitment that this is one of the things we will do and we are working to get that done,” he said.
With regards to a reduction in the Value-Added Tax (VAT), Harmon pointed out that President David Granger addressed the issue in his address during the opening of the 11th Parliament on Wednesday.
“He has given the National Assembly an assignment to make sure that VAT is reduced and he is going to keep to it,” he said.
Granger, in his address, had said the government shall introduce amendments to appropriate laws to reform taxation, including VAT, to give income tax concessions to wage earners and to offer fiscal incentives on an equitable basis to all investors. He also assured that there will be no increase in VAT this year.
