Popular support for new property tax: Finance Minister

Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira said on Thursday a majority of people in Trinidad and Tobago support the government's new property tax despite concerns raised by some homeowners and politicians.

The official opposition, political parties, civic groups and trade unions have mounted a nationwide campaign against the tax, which they say is a revenue grab by the Manning administration.

But speaking with reporters following the weekly cabinet meeting, Nunez-Tesheira said the message coming from the people is different from those conducting a campaign against the tax.

She said all MPs of the People's National Movement (PNM) have been holding cottage meetings in their respective constituencies and the consensus so far is that people don't have a problem with the tax.
She said during the meetings very few people raised the tax an an important issue and many of those who talked about it agreed that the tax they are now paying is very low.

The minister said people appeared to be more concerned with what she called "local issues" such as the state of roads and drains.

Nunez-Tesheira also said she doesn't expect any opposition support for the tax bill when it goes to a vote in Parliament next Friday. The government doesn't need opposition support since the bill needs just a simple majority. The government holds 26 of the 41 seats in the House of Representatives.