THE EDITOR, Sir:
I THINK the property tax legislation being thought of by the Minister of Local Government will be unproductive and foolish from the very outset. Land tax has always been a sore point in Jamaica. There was a time when it used to cost more to collect land tax than what was collected in so much that Mr. Shearer as Prime Minister brought it down to an unrealistic Five Dollars ($5.00). Then Mr. Manley brought in the tax on the unimproved value.
Now Mr. Bertram is talking about tax by the month, we have never yet heard of monthly tax on land. It was always yearly. I am confused or does the Minister mean rent? Our Prime Minister is on record for giving more land to people than any other Minister or government. It now seems the Minister of Local Government plans to take them back.
I hereby suggest to our Prime Minister to use his good office to stop this foolishness and shelve it for good. Mr. Prime Minister, if you succeed in getting the fourth term and Mr. Bertram is there give him some high office portfolio that befits his intelligence because he does not know how to deal with poor people. For the time being send him back to the drawing board to come with something better than monthly land tax.
I am, etc.,
OSBOURNE STERN
