Tax plan changes to be revealed today

FINANCE MINISTER Dr Peter Phillips will today announce changes to the $6.7-billion tax package, which he announced in the House of Representatives two weeks ago.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said during her contribution to the Budget Debate in the House of Representatives yesterday that the Government had heard the concerns expressed by Jamaicans in response to the package.

"This year, there has been a small revenue package that has been presented by the minister of finance. Many concerns have been raised; we have listened. I have spoken to the minister; we have discussed it at Cabinet. The minister of finance will address the issues that have been raised when he closes the debate tomorrow (today)," Simpson Miller said.

Among the tax measures announced by Phillips is a tax on withdrawals from financial institutions, which the Government is using to collect $2.25 billion.

Earlier, Clerk of the Houses of Parliament Heather Cooke announced that a corrigendum to the ministry paper containing the tax measures has been laid on the table of the House; however, checks by The Gleaner indicate that the document, which reflects the changes to the tax package, had not been released by the Ministry of Finance.