Former Black River Mayor wants tax roll back on farm products

Former Mayor of Black River Jeremy Palmer has renewed his call for tax to be removed from agricultural products.

Mr Palmer had moved a resolution last month in the St Elizabeth Council, asking for the government to remove taxes on a number of agricultural items.

Although government had imposed GCT on raw food products in the tax package announced in May, it later withdrew that tax after protests.

However, some meat and fish products as well as table eggs remain taxed.

Mr Palmer who is councillor for the Pedro Plains Division in St. Elizabeth says he wants a removal of tax on agricultural production, as he believes the losses the farmers incur are not easy to recover.

He was supported by JLP colleague Gregory Myers, but PNP Councillor Errol Hummingbird strongly opposed the call, saying the government has already withdrawn taxes on most of the items.

In the meantime, Mayor Everton Fisher then asked that the discussion be deferred until the next sitting in September.