Wheelchair issues
published: Tuesday | December 9, 2003

THE EDITOR, Sir:

THIS PAST week, a story caught my eye in which the government waived import duties on a shipment of donated wheelchairs. While this, of course, was the right thing to do, I can't for the life of me understand why any government would impose import duties on wheelchairs to begin with.

It is my understanding that practically every health institution in Jamaica is short of wheelchairs, from major hospitals to small nursing homes to anything in between, and it is reasonable to assume that anyone using a wheelchair is already suffering enough without the loading of more tax again upon his or her back.

Perhaps the tax is really just in place so that successive governments can seek praise for waiving it for donations that bring out the press camera lights, and thereby claim partial credit for the charitable works or others. What about the hundreds of persons who are unfortunate enough to bring in wheelchairs while the camera lights are off?

I am, etc.,

DAVID GILPIN-HUDSON

bigupd@bellsouth.net

West Palm Beach, Florida

Via Go-Jamaica