Understanding and misunderstanding the English language can be a hell of a thing. There is the old joke about the Grenadian who appeared on Scouting for Talent and Holly asks him what he is there to do and he replies: "I here to blow a sax." Holly looks puzzled because he does not see the man with a saxophone. He nonetheless introduces him as John Brown from Grenada on the saxophone, to which the man says: "No Holly, I here to blow a sax" and pulls out a black sock from his pocket and starts blowing into it.
Now, I think this is what has happened here with the recent revelations about the old Property Tax Bill, which is now coming back on stage like Miss World, seeking to be hosted by this nation, looking for a home, with new life and a change of clothes, adjusting her crown and her new sash, which bears the new/old name of Land and Building Tax. Compared to the previous Property Tax, it now seems to be Land and Building Tax to the Max, as we head down to Carec today to Fete to the Max. So let us jump and wine and wave our troubles away, because tomorrow is the devil of a tax to pay.
My friend and colleague, Minister of Legal Affairs Prakash Ramadhar has been thrust into the spotlight on this issue, as he is now the point man for this new tax, having been the point man against the old tax. Now, he may merely be playing the role of a good advocate or maybe devil's advocate, since the hallmark of a truly good advocate is one who can argue forcefully for one position one day and then come back the following day and argue with even greater conviction, clarity and cogency against the very same points. So despite what some folks are saying in relation to him having been a leading campaigner against the tax and a main proponent of the widely popular and successful "AXE THE TAX" campaign, and now less than a year later, being a leading campaigner and proponent for the same or increased tax, it may not be a case of "Praks backtracks".|
You see, I have no sympathy for Trinbagonians who don't listen properly and don't understand the reality where Praks may have pulled the tax back down from the racks, dusted it off and given it a new name, and he now no longer wants to "AXE THE TAX", but rather he now "BACKS THE TAX". It may very well be, that while all others were chanting and clamouring, marching with their jerseys and T-shirts in the streets, shouting for the Government of the day to "AXE THE TAX", poor little Praks may have been in the back, having his voice drowned out, probably chanting instead,"I BAXE THE TAX" and not "AXE THE TAX".
So please people, listen carefully and clean out the wax, because it may always have been a position that he backs the tax to the max and not that he is now lax and back tracks on the tax.
So if this piece smacks of a ribald view of the facts, on a serious note, Praks will have to tighten his slacks and explain to the hacks the reality of this tax. The population is a lot more alert, intuitive, sensitive and aware than before. They are now displaying a tendency to try to hold politicians up to a higher standard, especially when it comes to promises on the campaign trail. So this new tax is something the Government has to manage very carefully, when they explain to the public the rationale and reasoning behind the new incarnation of this tax.
Careful and prudent discourse and explanation would be required so as to explain to the nation why this has become necessary and as to the implications of it for private citizens, otherwise it can turn out to be a public relations nightmare if not properly handled. The Property Tax issue was a lightning rod and centre-point of protest and dissent which helped to bring down the former government as it hit people where it hurt. And people feel passionate about their homes because after all, a man's home is his castle and having been spoilt with very low property taxes over the decades it is always a hard sell to make a drastic increase of same.
The public is not unreasonable, nor unwilling to understand, but they must not be treated like fools and careful, proper explanations must be given because if it is not expertly managed and controlled, this Property Tax dagger, which was plunged into the heart of the PNM, striking a mortal electoral blow, can turn out to be a two edged sword in the hands of the People's Partnership and end up being THE TAX THAT WHACKS.