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Barbadian voters got their biggest taste yet of the goodies that will be in the Barbados Labour Party’s 2008 general elections manifesto last Saturday night at Carlisle Car Park in Bridgetown.

While addressing a massive crowd of supporters estimated at near 10 000, Prime Minister Owen Arthur promised major tax relief for the middle class, increased pensions for old people and a tax allowance to encourage Barbadians to practise healthier lives.

Noting that the policies being advanced by the BLP reflected a party that cares, Arthur said at the mass meeting to officially introduce all 30 candidates to the country:

“We must continue to be a caring Government. A middle class tax cut is coming. George Bush cut taxes to benefit the rich. In my time I have reduced the top tax rate from 40 per cent to 35 per cent, while making sure those earning less than $25 000 per year do not pay taxes.

“But there are some of you in the middle class whose tax rate is too high… In our manifesto we will have three tax rates: 20 per cent at the bottom, for the time being 35 per cent at the top, but those of you who are earning $80 000 or less will no longer after this year pay a tax higher than 20 per cent.” Arthur also disclosed that from today, pensioners would start receiving larger cheques.

To the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP), Arthur said: “There is no government in this country that has given a better deal to our pensioners. If you have to live on an NIS pension only, $30 000, you are now living tax free in Barbados.

“This Government has allowed pensioners to have the interest on their savings tax free by removing the withholding tax on savings. We have not only made the first $125 000 in property value free of tax, but if a pensioner has his house valued the same as yours, that pensioner pays half the tax you pay, and we will increase that to $150 000 soon.”

He revealed too that the manifesto would spell out the BLP’s plan to increase the threshold on taxes on pensions “from $40,000 to $50,000 so that there is no pension in Barbados who is living on an NIS pension, who will have to pay taxes on that pension”.

“I am not going to promise you things I cannot fulfill,” he said. “I say to BARP that there are people in Barbados who are considered the working poor who do not have the same deal given to the pensioners.

“Let me help them now too. Everybody in Barbados who is getting the reverse tax credit at the income level below $25 000, the same way I allow pensioners all interest earned on their savings tax free, I am giving it to you, the working poor. So I am removing withholding tax on savings of all people who are claiming the reverse tax credit.

“And I am doing more. They are many of you in this crowd who would love to look after your family, and you have to put them in nursing homes and claim the expense. Barbados must become a country that cares more, so that if you are looking after your family, our manifesto says you will be able to claim a large part of the expense you paid to keep your family at home, and the expenses incurred in keeping your old folks at home.”

He revealed too that his Government would be introducing a health and wellness allowance.

“We want Barbadians to stop dying from diabetes and hypertension and things like that, so we will give you an allowances for looking after yourself that you can claim on your income tax. We care,” he added. The BLP’s election manifesto will be launched at Eagle Hall tomorrow night.