Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

MEDIA RELEASE – CABINET, NOT JSCs, MAKES POLICY

The Minister of Finance, Hon. Colm Imbert, MP, has taken note of media coverage of a recent discussion in a Joint Select Committee of Parliament (JSC) where an Opposition MP proposed the imposition of new taxes on cultural artistes.

The Minister of Tourism and Culture has already debunked the false narrative that that Opposition MP’s random thought was a Government plan. However, it appears from the coverage and commentary that followed this JSC meeting that there is a mistaken belief that a JSC is a policy making body and that a JSC has to power to change our tax laws or to initiate such a process.