The President of the Penal/Debe Chamber of Commerce says the re-introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) on certain food items is not an easy pill for the country to swallow, given increasing levels of unemployment in the country. Shiva Roopnarine believes that the poor and vulnerable will have to bear the burden of the 12.5 per cent VAT.
He said yesterday the price of luxury items that were already vatable, now only attract 12.5 per cent VAT, will lead to a reduction in those products. He said the poor and vulnerable in society will understand the full effect of this in February when they visit the supermarkets.