By Alicia Chamely

FINANCE Minister Davendranath Tancoo is firing back at Member of Parliament Colm Imbert’s criticisms of the 2025 Finance Bill, asking when has Imbert ever cared for the small man. Adding the only small Imbert has ever cared for was himself.

On Wednesday at an Opposition press conference, Imbert heavily criticised the increase fine, taxes and landlord surcharge in the 2025 Finance Bill, would harm the small man and increase the cost of living.

 “Imbert’s history, his actions and his words shows that he never cared about the ‘small man.’ Trinbago has not forgotten his glee when he raised gas multiple time and celebrated that he might continue to do so because ‘they haven’t rioted yet.’ Or the threats to citizens to pay an illegal property tax.”

“It was the UNC who blocked him then. Nor the several tax concessions he created that gave himself significant financial benefit,” Tancoo said to AZP News on Wednesday evening via WhatsApp.

“The only small man Imbert is interested in is himself,” Tancoo added.

As for Imbert’s assertions that the Landlord Surcharge would be higher than the former Property Tax, that was struck out by the United National Congress government, Tancoo stated, the landlord tax was a tax against income earned versus taxing a non-income earning asset, which the property tax aimed to do.

 “The landlord tax is a tax against persons generating an income using their property,” he said, “The significant part of landlords in this country pay little or no tax on their rental income.”

Tancoo said, “Colm Imbert’s property tax was a tax charged against homeowners the vast majority of whom were not earning an income from their home. It was an income tax based on income that persons were not receiving.”

The 2025 Finance Bill was set to be debated in Parliament on Friday.