Gov’t reduces excise tax on fuel
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh, last night announced a reduction in the excise tax on gasoline and diesel to relieve the impact of the recent sharp increase in the world market price for fuel.
The minister noted that over the past several months, it was observed that oil prices have risen steadily on the world market and have since gone from US$35 a barrel in late October of last year to more than US$60 a barrel by close of trade yesterday. The prices on the local market are very much influenced by these increases.
The government therefore announced the reduction of excise tax on fuel with immediate effect in order to minimise the impact on domestic consumers, in particular those who are constantly travelling and the productive sectors for which fuel is a necessity.
The excise tax on fuel has now been reduced from 50% to 35% which will result in gasoline prices going from $184 down to $170 per litre and diesel prices are expected to go from $170 to $160 per litre.
Singh noted that in the previous term of the PPP/C administration, arrangements were made to have the excise tax on fuel adjusted from time to time to cushion the domestic impact. The minister further emphasised that in keeping with the government’s commitment to its citizens, domestic customers can expect protection as it relates to price escalation on the world market and will not have to worry about world market increases adversely affecting the cost of living.
The Ministry of Health has launched an investigation into the death of a police constable after he had received injections for chicken pox and subsequently taken filarial pills.
This was disclosed by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony yesterday during his COVID-19 update where he stated that the investigation was launched so as to ascertain the facts before a pronouncement is made.
The police on Tuesday evening had reported that police constable Rockliff Cozier who was stationed at the Regional Police Division #4 ‘B’ died just after 6pm. They had stated that initial investigations revealed that the officer who was infected with chicken pox allegedly received two injections for it around 08:30hrs and subsequently around 14:30hrs took the pills which are being distributed to treat filaria.
The health minister during his update stated, “We heard that two vaccines were given to this person and at the same time he also took the filarial tablets, I don’t know at this point in time whether that is indeed so but we will have to investigate it.”
He also informed that a team from the Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organization are collaborating to retrieve all the documents relating to the incident to carry out their investigation.
“Generally when we review the safety profile of say, the filarial tablets, you’re not supposed to have any adverse effects like this and therefore in my view it might be purely coincidental,” Anthony opined.
To this end he advised that the investigation must be allowed to take its course and will be reviewed by experts who will be able to report on the findings.
It was previously reported that while in the barracks at the Grove Police Station, the police constable collapsed and was subsequently rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital in an unconscious state.
Cozier then suffered two seizures and subsequently died.