Finance Minister Colm Imbert is not budging from his intention to impose a seven per cent tax for online shopping.
This in spite of a petition by the group, Stand Up T&T, which has garnered some support and is now planning to take the campaign to the public, targeting concerned citizens, the business community and civil society.
As support builds for the petition, Imbert declined to comment on record but promised to gauge public feedback on the issue.
In a interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Stand Up T&T’s Phillip Alexander said the new tax would affect all consumers, not just those who shop directly online.
“We are trying to get people to understand that even though you might not use your credit card to shop online, this tax targets the middle class business owners and that cost is going to be passed on to you.
“Middle class business owners are going to be forced to pass on the cost to the average citizen because they can’t absorb it,” Alexander said.
He said while he had announced via social media yesterday a meeting would be held, a date and time had not yet been set.
“We had a preliminary meeting with the members of Stand Up T&T today and we are currently in the contact phase, reaching out to civil society groups, business groups and the average citizens.”
During the interview, Alexander remained adamant the tax must be removed.
He said the group did not want to go head-to-head with Government and he hoped the Finance Minister would see the “error in his ways.”
He added: “We have no interest in fighting any government. This can all stop if the Finance Minister decides to repeal this tax.
“He has all the cards. He can realise the error in his ways and repeal the tax or dig his heels in and we the people of T&T will respond in such a way, that he may very well lose his job.”
Recalling the public outcry to remove then Port-of-Spain Mayor Raymond Tim Kee earlier this year, Alexander said:
“In the same way the Prime Minister reversed his support for Tim Kee, I am hoping he will reverse his thinking on this online tax or this may very well be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”
Tim Kee resigned last February 15 after scores of concerned citizens and human rights activists staged a protest at Woodford Square, Port-of-Spain, calling for his resignation over comments he made on the discovery of Japanese pannist Asami Nagakiya’s body at the Queen’s Park Savannah on February 10.
On that day a petition calling for Tim Kee’s resignation started by the group WomanTra TT quickly gathered over 10,000 signatures.
Alexander said yesterday Stand Up T&T was hoping to gather 20,000 signatures. He said the group also hoped to host its public meeting before the October 20 implementation date of the tax.
What will it cost you?
While the public waits to see whether Government will go ahead with the implementation of a seven per cent online tax, online shopper Anita Gokool says the tax would not deter her.
Gokool, who is employed with KMP Music Lab, San Fernando, says shopping online keeps her in the latest fashion while saving her big bucks.
“I recently bought a leather bodycon dress from Amazon, the total cost was about $280 including shipping and taxes.
“A dress similar to that in a store in San Fernando costs $450, which is almost twice the cost,” she said yesterday.
A pair of suede multi-strap heels that match her dress is priced at US$24.99 on Amazon. With her calculator in hand, Gokool took to Websource TT’s website to calculate the shipping, taxes and the new online tax.
The shoes and packaging are estimated to weigh approximately three pounds. If she decides to purchase the shoes, Gokool will pay TT$48.61 in duties, TT$36.46 in VAT, TT$73.63 in freight, TT$6.78 on insurance and TT$0.63 on VAT on local handling.
With all the charges before the new tax, Gokool will pay TT$346.99. If the new tax is calculated before local charges apply, she will pay TT$11.78 extra. If it is calculated after local duties and charges, she will pay TT$24.28 extra.
The prices will vary based on the price of the product and the cost for shipping and handling locally.
For Gokool, the new tax is not a deterrent.
“At the end of the day, I am able to get the things I want, which sometimes aren’t available here or I am able to get things at a much cheaper cost.
“I would like to not to have to pay an additional tax but it’s still a win-win situation for me,” she added.