By Odette Loney Sunday, October 4 2009

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COP Deputy Political Leader Prakash Ramadhar, right, talks to a peddler at the San Fernando market as he looks at one of the leather belts he's sellin...

A call for Government to axe the property tax has come from Congress Of the People (COP) deputy political leader, Prakash Ramadhar.

Ramadhar walked through the San Fernando Market with a COP team yesterday morning with a petition against the impending property tax system.

Ramadhar and his supporters distributed black jerseys with “Axe The Tax” slogans and he also took note of the grouses of San Fernando vendors who say they sell produce amidst deplorable conditions which do not reflect Government’s Vision 2020.

“Throughout this country, every citizen I have spoken with in the last several weeks has been totally against this taxation.

“They feel it is a punishment for all those who have worked hard to own their own property,” said Ramadhar.

According to Ramadhar, people think Government has wasted public funds in the past and he believes that government will use further taxation to fund wastage and corruption.

As Ramadhar encouraged the public to express anger against the property tax by writing to their area representatives, he said his COP counterparts were in the Point Fortin area yesterday seeking names to add to the “Axe the Property Tax” petition, which is to be taken nationwide.

“Write to your MP, whether in opposition or Government, letting them know that if you feel strongly enough about it you will not vote for them come next election if they allow this tax to go forward; they have to remove it,” Ramadhar said.

Ramadhar said there is a fear that some citizens might lose their homes due to the property tax and he further said he did not trust Government advertisements on the issue.

“What we do know is that property tax is an additional taxation and we do not need it so it should be put down,” said Ramadhar.

He said citizens need to make Government accountable for expenditure of tax dollars and as the COP team spoke with patrons and vendors at San Fernando Fish Market, Ramadhar said that it is painful to see citizens working in a market without basic infrastructure such as air conditioning, proper roofing and parking spaces for customers and vendors.

Ramadhar also lashed out against Value Added Tax (VAT) on foodstuff, clothing, gas, saying that citizens are yet to see the benefits of existing taxes. “We need to make Government accountable because they are employed by us and they must use our taxpayers’ dollars for the benefit of the people and not for grandiose projects,” said Ramadhar.