Barbadian Opposition Leaders Criticise Owen Arthur's Budget

by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London

24 October 2002

Barbadian Prime Minister, Owen Arthur's latest budget, delivered on Tuesday has been roundly condemned by Leader of the Opposition, David Thompson and DLP President, Clyde Mascoll, the Barbados Nation News reported yesterday.

In an initial response, prior to Wednesday's formal reply, Mr Thompson suggested that the Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals amounted to 'a package of sweet-sounding nothings calculated to maintain the social and economic status quo of the country. The Prime Minister's focus is on priming the electorate for the ringing of the election bell.'

Senator Mascoll, meanwhile, slammed the proposals as making up 'a Star Trek budget', although he suggested that the Prime Minister had signally failed when it came to 'boldly going where no one has gone before'.

'I see it as a Star Trek budget,' he announced on Tuesday evening, explaining that: 'It does not address the immediate problems in the Barbados economy. It does not address excessive taxation, the competitiveness or lack of competitiveness in tourism, manufacturing, and other sectors.'

Although the marginal income tax rate will be reduced from 25% to 22.5% in 2004 by Tuesday's budget, the Democratic Labour Party Leader pointed to this as evidence of the 'futuristic' nature of the proposals, arguing that this reduction will not actually be realised until 2005 or 2006.

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