Afra: Property Tax is fair

THE idea that the Property Tax unfairly targets East Indians was refuted by surveyor and commentator Afra Raymond speaking to Newsday yesterday. At a recent Maha Sabha function, guest of honour surgeon Dr Dilip Dan alleged that the tax maybe being targeted at East Indians who had tirelessly toiled and saved to build their homes rather than squander their earnings.

Raymond however retorted that such a notion of an unfair taxation was an idea imported from the political right-wing in the United States and was not related to the Africans and East Indians of TT. He argued that as property is a store of wealth it should be taxed the same way as a business such as a travel agency into which a pair of business partners had invested their individual capital and was now generating revenues. Raymond made the point that property tax is not charged on capital value, but on rental value.

Lamenting that property tax has not been paid since 2009, Raymond said, "It is long overdue. The quicker they bring it the better."