Highlanders laud tax-free threshold

By YVONNE HAIP
PEOPLE earning below K10,000 per annum in the highlands are happy that they do not have to pay income tax.
The government in its 2012 budget raised the tax-free threshold from K7,000 to K10,000.
In addition prices on many food items, and other materials would be reduced.
This is to ease the pressure on citizens who are feeling the impact of inflation and high food prices.
Joshua Mark, an elementary school teacher from Mendi, Southern Highlands, said the government had won the hearts of the people by exempting income tax from those earning less than K10,000.
He said in Mendi the government obviously wanted people in the low income bracket to enjoy a bit more of their income.
Catherine Rodney, an office clerk in Western Highlands shared the same sentiments.
She said with the rising cost of living, money was needed to pay for necessities but the government had been “draining” them through taxes.
She said it was fair to collect tax from those who earned more but for minimum wage earners, it had been a constraint.
She said the decrease in prices of some goods was a bonus for ordinary citizens.
Jim Mendai, an employee of a construction company in Enga said what he earned was not enough yet the government deducted tax from his salary. But with this decision, workers such as him would be content with their work.
Rachael Kambiya, a nurse from Banz in Jiwaka and Tobias Dama, a mechanic in Kundiawa, Chimbu, also expressed similar sentiments.a