Shaw says WhatsApp calls could be denting revenues
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw, admitted Wednesday that data using technology like WhatsApp could reduce the flow of Government revenues.
Shaw was responding to an assertion by former technology minister Phillip Paulwell that data using technology, like WhatsApp, could be reducing the level of taxes from a tax levy on phone calls, which the Opposition spokesman introduced in 2012/13 as part of a $16-billion tax package, but which was not validated in Parliament until yesterday.
“We are mindful that some of our expectations for direct revenues from the source, and also to the Universal Service Fund (USF) might have been impaired by instances of bypass and so on, and I am wondering if the performance has been in accordance with our expectations…have you received all that was supposed to accrue?” Paulwell asked.
He noted that bypass has been a major issue in relation to the collection of revenues from telephone calls.
Shaw undertook to provide details in the future. However, he admitted that in recent discussions with at least one of the major carriers, he could confirm that increased propensity for use of data, for example “WhatsApp”, was placing a dent on revenue of the major carriers, which would ultimately affect the rate of government’s intake, as well.
“So, it calls into question whether we are earning much from the data portion, which in itself needs to be reviewed,” Shaw responded.
Balford Henry
Labourite caan change poor people gwan feel it. by this time next year u going to give him back that “taxbreak”
Leave the bbc whatsapp data a bbc alone! !!Unno done a dig out we yeyes n soul with taxes n we getting less n less data fi more money! Damn disgusting imperialist capitalist dawg shyt unno be!
Wah dem fi attach tuh dem naw attach tuh. Go get back we airline weh hunnu gi weh. go get back we tings an mek di ppl dem use di likkle whatsapp.
Jamaican ppl nave no sense man. Everybody enamored with Andrew Holness and wan wash him foot, but unnuh seem fi figet say the Tax King still a part of JLP. Andrew a jus a figurehead fi make dem look innocent and nice. Unnuh figet say a Tax Boss did a try implement tax pon flour and all pad n dem ting deh. Is a wicked pussyole dat and we nuh see the half yet trust me. Portia dunce but she’s more for easing up the poor.
when u more to comsumtion tax u affect the poor most because most of there inform is used on consuming (Labourite ) will never get that. and since we product nuthing if u spen mre on consumption (imports) we send the money out of the country
WhatsApp not even charge ppl fi download di app, but dem waan put tax pon it. Mi believe in legitimate taxation, but dis ridiculous. Mussi money dem a look fi pay fiddi road. Wtf WhatsApp have to do wid unno now? Unno sell everything thing off to outsiders, have no production, import dung to icy mint and now when unno hab not a rass fi sell to nobody unno a look pon odda ppl technology fi meck money outta. Unno sick af.