Has the Government gone mad?

THE EDITOR, Sir:

With reference to the steep rise in property tax, one wonders if the Government has gone mad. I say this from the fact that shortly before the previous People's National Party Government lost the election, my property tax was raised, in 'one lick', from $250 per annum to $5,000.

As the Jamaica Labour Party Government took office, it put an additional $1,500 on it, and two years after, the same administration put an additional $3,500 on it, which brought the total to $10,000 in less than four years.

Now I am being told that I must add an additional $15,800 on the present amount, which would make it a grand total of $25,800, and pay it over to the Government. At age 81, and not working, where in God's name am I to get this money from?

Mr Editor, I bought this piece of land in 1978 for $3,000, and since that time, except for about 15 chains of asphalt put on the road in 1992, the Government has not done anything in the area in terms of infrastructural development. So any improvement done here has been by the citizens, and not the Government. Therefore, what is the Government revaluing - its input, or our input?

It is high time we stand up to the Government, whichever of the two major parties, and insist it run this country in the interest of the people, and not itself or its friends.

The solution to Jamaica's problems is to get out of the free market system. Put back price controls on all items. Get back to a productive economy, instead of the service economy, which our so-called friends have encouraged us to adopt. Cut the overly expensive government contracts.

KENNETH GORDON

George's Valley, Manchester