$22m. tax haul

Article by Sherrylyn Toppin

More than $20 million has been collected via the Garbage and Sewage Contribution (GSC) since its introduction, with more than half going to the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA).

Up to last Friday, the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) collected $22 782 835, retaining just $5 857 420, while $16 925 415 went to the SSA.

The GSC was added to water bills on August 1 to provide capital after the Mia Mottley administration removed the SSA from the budget. Its introduction to the slew of taxes was announced by the Prime Minister in the June 11 Mini-Budget.

Households pay the equivalent of $1.50 per day. Of that amount, $1.25 goes to the SSA and the remainder to the BWA. Commercial entities pay 50 per cent of their water bill, split evenly between both entities.

Attempts to get a comment from SSA chairman Rudy Grant or Minister of the Environment Trevor Prescod on how that money was being used were futile on Sunday. (SAT)

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