The Government's decision to tax reading material amounts to double taxation. When I look on my pay slip I recognise a compulsory deduction labelled 'Education Tax'. Education has been defined on the website www.dictionary.com, as "the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life." One way of achieving this is by reading, which is not limited to prescribed textbooks or religious material. I'm already paying a tax specifically for education, why is it that I should pay a tax again on reading material?

Difficuties

If the Government decides to implement a special taxation on pornographic material then that is fine. However, a clear distinction should be made between pornography and sex education.

Taxing reading material appears to be another attempt by the Government to keep Jamaicans ignorant. I remember hearing over the news the journalists' complaint about the difficulties faced in getting information from the Government officials. Then the next thing I hear is that a tax would be imposed on newspaper. Obviously, the Government is creating every disincentive possibly to keep the public informed.

With Jamaica's low literacy rate and the Government's actions to hinder the spread of information, I don't know where Jamaica is heading, but it doesn't look bright.

I am, etc.,

Y. SMYTHE

y_smythe@hotmail.com

Spanish Town

St. Catherine