KINGSTON, Jamaica — The issue of how much the Government expects to collect in taxes in the 2022/23 fiscal year, an issue that for some may determine whether its “no new taxes” pronouncement is realistic, has evolved into a full blown argument between the Government and Opposition.

When he closed the 2022/23 Budget Debate on Tuesday, Finance Minister, Dr Nigel Clarke, dismissed the statement made a week earlier by Opposition leader Mark Golding that the Government has projected to collect $99 billion in new taxes in the upcoming fiscal year. Golding had argued that this rendered the Government’s claim of no new taxes a moot point, when he made his contribution to the Budget debate on March 15.

READ: No new taxes, says Clarke

READ: ‘Don’t be fooled by no new tax hype’: Golding says $99b more in taxes budgeted

On Tuesday, Clarke pushed back at this position, stating “First point of correction, tax revenues are projected to grow by $65 billion in 2022/23 and not $99 billion as erroneously and inaccurately claimed by the Opposition leader.”

Clarke pointed to page six of the Fiscal Policy Paper.

“He [Golding] has been all over town with the wrong figure, and wrong by a big amount, on a crucially important variable, misinforming the Jamaican people,” Clarke said.

“Strong and wrong. Dem nuh ready, Madam Speaker. Dem nuh ready,” Clarke added.

Continuing, Clarke asked “What can I say?”

He said the Opposition leader uses an inaccurate figure and engages in wrong analysis and ends up with wrong solutions.

“And beyond that, him surely take Jamaican people for fools, expecting them to confuse revenue growth for tax increases. I have a word for you: the Jamaican people are much smarter than to fall for that nonsense,” said Clarke.

Opposition Spokesman on Finance and the Public Service, Julian Robinson, fired back in a statement Tuesday afternoon, stating that “In closing the Budget Debate in Parliament today, the Minister of Finance wrongfully accused the Opposition leader of providing incorrect data in his presentation on the additional tax revenues the government plans to raise.”

“The Opposition leader correctly indicated that the government plans to raise additional tax revenues of $99 billion. This figure comes from the tabled ‘Revenue Estimates 2022/23’ document which shows that the government plans to take in tax revenues of $671 billion for the fiscal year 22/23 up from $572 billion for the fiscal year 21/22,” Robinson stated.

Robinson said an additional amount of $99 billion is on page two of the document tabled in Parliament.

“The Opposition is calling on the Minister of Finance to apologise for misleading the House and contradicting data from his own Ministry,” Robinson demanded.

He attached a copy of Jamaica Revenue Estimates 2022/23 (cover and page1) as well as the 2022/23 Budget Jamaica Review by PWC (page 6) which show that the government has projected the following increase in tax revenue:

-Income Tax – $19.33bn

-General Consumption Tax -$34.27b

-Special Consumption Tax – $8.09b

-Travel Taxes – $10.91b

– Guest Accommodation Room Tax – $1.93b

-Education Tax – $2.48b

-Other – $22.-06b  

TOTAL – $99.07b