THE EDITOR, Sir:

In my view, the most burdened worker is a worker that is on the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system. There must be a way to relieve the burden carried by workers in this category. Think about it, income tax and education tax, along with other statutory deductions, are taken from the salaries of these workers before they receive their pay. In addition to this they have to pay general consumption tax on goods and services that they purchase with the change that they get from their salaries after taxes are deducted. These same workers have to pay taxes on interest earned on their savings at financial institutions. This system is far too burdensome for some Jamaicans. If these workers do any part-time work, this is also taxed. Most of the allowances given to these workers are also taxed. This is a disincentive to hard work.

The most unacceptable part of this arrangement is that after most of the workers on the PAYE system retire, their pensions are negligible. This is no way to take care of people who are forced to pay more than their fair share of taxes to take care of the financial obligations of the Government. Some of these people live in abject poverty. It is a case of enlightened self-interest for smart, young government workers to deal with this issue.

One way to bring relief to the workers on the PAYE tax system is to grant these workers tax exemption for all their savings in financial institutions.

I am, etc.,

WINNIE ANDERSON-ROWN

winab@cwjamaica.com

Bagatelle District

Ashley P.A.

Clarendon.