Are senior citizens being given a fair deal?

Having read K.K.S. Perera’s piece in the Sunday Times (ST) Plus of October 1, I concur with the sentiments expressed.

I would like also to point out another aspect of the tax policy that is in operation, that I object to. Most of us, senior citizens, survive our dotage on the fixed deposits we have earned in our salad days. When the personal allowance for drugs, hospital admissions and such like deductions are not possible from one’s personal income tax for the tax year ’23-24, life is a nightmare reality.

Many or most of us have served this country we love through thick and thin, with dedication. With illness, at our door, escalating and uncontrolled drug prices despite the dollar stability, make it untenable.

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) having only variously stated that there are only 31000- 239,000 personal tax files, despite RAMIS allegedly being in operation, is a laugh. If one considers the number of corporates, retailers, professionals, tuition masters and gem merchants who abound on this island nation of ours, just see those who can afford to advertise on electronic media on cricket match days!

The Sunday Times states that there are 15,000 corporates and only 10% pay tax! Thus it is ludicrous to flog the honest tax-paying senior citizen.

I am sure I speak for most senior citizens, that personal drug and health allowance, should be brought back in the future, pronto, if we as a group are to survive our last few years on planet Earth with dignity, that I think should be our just desserts.