JAMAICA Chamber of Commerce (JCC) president Milton Samuda has put his support behind Government’s revised tax package, but but said that the JCC now expects a planned movement towards tax reform.

“Package-wise, obviously it’s something we would rather not have to deal with but it’s now something that can be supported,” Samuda told Sunday Finance.

“We want to see a timetable for the introduction of the agreed reforms and a timetable for discussions for those that have not been added,” he said.

Against the backdrop of street demonstrations by the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) and lingering public outrage over the $21.8- billion tax package unleashed on December 17, Government announced a revised package last week. The new package shifted the burden substantially away from the poorest Jamaicans to higher income earners, and includes a hike in personal income tax rate from 25 per cent to 27.5 per cent on all income above the threshold for persons earning in excess of $5 million and 35 per cent for persons earning in excess of $10 million. Samuda, however, said that Government must keep its promise that the measure is only temporary.

“The income tax rates that will be introduced and are described as temporary, must be temporary,” he said.

Meanwhile, the JCC president also commended the PNP on its relatively incident-free protests.

“Certainly in my recent memory, this is the first time that we have had islandwide demonstration without incident, and without the blocking of roads so that those not actively participating in the demonstration could go about their lawful business,” said Samuda. “It’s a real sign of hope. It shows maturity and it shows the example of democracy at work.”