Highlands farmers do not agree with GST cuts

THE Highlands Farmers and Settlers Association does not agree with the Government’s proposed cut in goods and services tax (GST) for selected vital households and fuel products (petrol, diesel, kerosene and zoom) for a six-month period to ease cost-of-living pressures.
Its president, Wilson Thompson, said in a media statement that “we appreciate the Government’s response to price increase but warns that it will only add to administrative costs and create uncertainty in the business and the economy and prices will still increase”.
“We request the Government to rescind the imposition or reduce the increase in non-tax fees, charges and levies that has direct bearing on food production and domestic manufacturing sector that caused increases in price of goods and services,” he said.
“All fuel levy and surcharge that had caused rising costs of land, air and sea transport must be cut off.
“The Government needs the money but it should be careful at where it is collecting its revenue as it is affecting the 85 per cent of the people who rely on agriculture for sustenance and 100 per cent of the people who eat imported or locally produced food, use transport to access health and education services.
“But we believe that Independent Consumer and Competition Commission is the independent entity that can review the critical areas that we have raised and surely, if nothing is done, most price increases will take effect on Friday and is serious.”