PM of St Vincent calls for regional disaster tax

The Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines wants Caribbean leaders to impose a 1% disaster levy on their citizens to go towards disaster recovery.

Ralph Gonsalves admitted that taxpayers may not be happy with the new charged but is convinced that it will support the resilience of the poor.

“They will say we are wicked when in fact the poor, particularly poor women and children are the most vulnerable to disasters,” he said during an address to officially kick off the 2017 hurricane season yesterday.

Borrowing from other countries

Gonsalves said that regional governments face serious financial burdens following disasters.

“Every year, as soon as we have a small event, we have to find millions of dollars just to clean up”, he said.

According to him, most times, the leaders have to resort to borrowing from other countries to recover from disasters.

“We have to find money to buy food and to help poor people when their homes are affected. We have to sometimes find them homes or rent homes for them,” the Vincentian prime minister added.

Gonsalves is calling for the implementation of a disaster plan which he said should be specifically formulated for every household.

“Please families, do not take the weather pattern for a joke,” he implored. “You have to be prepared. You have to make sure you have a disaster plan set up in your homes.”

The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins today and until 30 November.