Since President James Michel took over the presidency in 2004 his administration has been characterized by massive taxes across the board for all Seychellois irrespective of age, status, means and station in life. Before him, his predecessor, Albert Rene, following the advise of Mukesh Valabhji, imposed the infamous GST which everybody had to pay despite the oppressive nature of its application. GST was paid at source and was not refundable even when the goods on which GST had been paid to government were not sold at all. In essence, GST is supposed to be a 15% Goods and Services Tax levied on goods and services provided by the business community. However, because of the arbitrary nature of its calculation it could go up as much as 26%.
For his part, President Michel seems quite simply obsessed with creating and imposing new and additional taxes almost at a whim. He has over the last four years of his presidency introduced and increased the following taxes:
1. Increased our electricity and water bills,
2. Increased taxes on petrol and diesel at the pump,
3. Increased taxes on our cars by putting our road tax at 1.50 per cc.
4. Created a new tax on the importation of new cars as much as R.200, 000.
5. Increase price of gas
6.Recently announced yet another increase in our electricity bills
Yet wages have remained stagnant except for the President himself, Leader of Opposition, Leader of Government Business, Members of Parliament, Ministers and Judges, all of whom received massive salary increases last year. Those who are more vulnerable and living in dire poverty were totally overlooked. The overall effect of the massive increase in taxes across the board is an acute increase in the level of poverty and crimes as normal ordinary families struggle to cope with the surging increase in prices. There is a saying that when you milk a cow until it can produce no more milk, you start to milk the barn as well. SPPF is literally milking the cow dry and will soon start milking the barn as well.