Green tax blues

Wakefield plantation workers milling around in the yard during a work stoppage yesterday. Employee Robin Hope (third from left standing) disagrees with the management of Wakefield Plantation’s decision to tax the workers’ Green Cane Incentive. (Pictures by Nigel Browne.)

By ANESTA HENRY | Tue, October 16, 2012 - 12:10 AM

just over 25 WORKERS at Wakefield Plantation, St John, staged a work stoppage in protest against the plantation’s decision to tax their payments under the Green Cane Incentive Scheme.

The judicial manager of CLICO International Life Insurance Limited, which owns the plantation, confirmed through a statement to the media that the action was taken to remedy an ongoing administrative error in making certain payments to field workers attached to Todds, Wakefield, Lemon Arbor, Hothersal, Pool, Clifton Hall, Bowmanston and Henley plantations.

“In reviewing weekly and monthly payments to these workers, the judicial manager noted that PAYE and NIS payments, where legally applicable, were not being made against a ‘Green Cane Incentive’ and as such, effective Friday 12, October, 2012, adjustments were applied,” the statement said.

When the DAILY NATION visited the plantation, disgruntled worker Robin Hope said he was due to receive $704.54 in Green Cane Incentive for this year’s crop season but was concerned that his take-home amount would actually be $514.54 once NIS and PAYE were deducted.

Please read the full story in today’s DAILY NATION, or in the eNATION edition.