Black Immigrant Daily News

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — The British government on Monday dropped plans to cut income tax for top earners, part of a package of unfunded cuts unveiled only days ago that sparked turmoil on financial markets and sent the pound to record lows.

In a dramatic about-face, Treasury chief Kwasi Kwarteng abandoned plans to scrap the top 45 per cent rate of income tax paid on earnings above 150,000 pounds ($167,000) a year.

He and Prime Minister Liz Truss have spent the last 10 days defending the cut in the face of market mayhem and increasing alarm among the governing Conservative Party.

“We get it, and we have listened,” Kwarteng said in a statement. He said: “it is clear that the abolition of the 45p tax rate has become a distraction from our overriding mission to tackle the challenges facing our country.”

The pound rose after Kwarteng’s announcement to around $1.12 — about the value it held before the Sept. 23 budget announcements.

The U-turn came after a growing number of Conservative lawmakers, including former ministers with broad influence, turned on the government’s tax plans.

“I can’t support the 45p tax removal when nurses are struggling to pay their bills,” Tory lawmaker Maria Caulfield said.

It also came hours after the Conservatives released advance extracts of a speech Kwarteng is due to give later Monday at the party’s annual conference in the central England city of Birmingham. He had been due to say: “We must stay the course. I am confident our plan is the right one.”

Truss defended the measures Sunday but said she could have “done a better job laying the ground” for the announcements.

She also said the decision to abolish the top tax rate had been taken by Kwarteng alone. On Monday, Truss’ spokesman said the prime minister still had confidence in her embattled Treasury chief.

Truss took office less than a month ago, promising to radically reshape Britain’s economy to end years of sluggish growth. But the government’s announcement of a stimulus package that includes 45 billion pounds ($50 billion) in tax cuts, to be paid for by government borrowing, sent the pound tumbling to a record low against the dollar.

The Bank of England was forced to intervene to prop up the bond market, and fears that the bank will soon hike interest rates caused mortgage lenders to withdraw their cheapest deals, causing turmoil for homebuyers.

The package proved unpopular, even among Conservatives. Reducing taxes for top earners and scrapping a cap on bankers’ bonuses while millions face a cost-of-living crisis driven by soaring energy bills was widely seen as politically toxic.

Truss and Kwarteng insist that their plan will deliver a growing economy and eventually bring in more tax revenue, offsetting the cost of borrowing to fund the current cuts. But they also have signaled that public spending will need to be slashed to keep government debt under control.

Monday’s change of direction lifts some of the political pressure on the government from inside the Conservative Party, but it still faces skepticism from markets and economists and mounting public opposition to the worsening cost-of-living squeeze.

Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank, said that unless Kwarteng “also U-turns on some of his other, much larger tax announcements, he will have no option but to consider cuts to public spending: to social security, investment projects or public services.”

Kwarteng has promised to set out a medium-term fiscal plan on Nov. 23, alongside an economic forecast from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility.

Axing the top-earners tax rate would have cost about 2 billion pounds, a small share of the government’s overall tax-cutting plan. Kwarteng said Monday that the government was sticking to its other tax policies, including a cut next year in the basic rate of income tax and a reversal of a corporation tax hike planned by the previous government.

Tony Danker, who heads business group the Confederation of British Industry, said he hoped the government U-turn would bring stability to the markets.

“None of this growth plan will work unless we have stability. Let’s hope this is the beginning of it,” he told broadcaster LBC.

Opposition parties said the government should scrap its whole economic plan.

“UK gov U-turns on top tax rate abolition because it’s a ‘distraction,’” Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party wrote on Twitter. “Morally wrong and hugely costly for millions is a better description. Utter ineptitude.”

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Former member of Parliament and Central Committee member of the People’s Progressive Party Philomena Sahoye-Shury has passed.

Sahoye-Shury popularly known as Philomena ‘Fireball’ Sahoye-Shury was 91 years old.

The People’s Progressive Party on its Facebook page posted: “…deepest condolences to the relatives and friends of Cde Philomena Sahoye-Shury following her passing. Cde Phil served in many capacities, including as a Member of Parliament and in the Central Committee of the party.”

Here is an article published by Guyana Times on March 8, 2014 in celebration of International Women’s Day

The “Fireball” still lives“I would do it all over again” – Philomena Sahoye-Shury

At age 83, Philomena Sahoye-Shury, who is regarded as Guyana’s “Fireball”, is till playing an integral role in the development of women and communities across the country.

Sahoye-Shury is presently the National Director of Community Development Councils in Guyana, and remains very active in the realm of local politics. She is enjoying her new role, which she described as “satisfying”, explaining that she feels honoured to serve the people of Guyana because of the ‘joy” derived from seeing improvements in their overall lives. As Guyana observes International Women’s Day this year, this iconic woman said she was proud of the gains made by women and the zeal they have shown thus far. Sahoye-Shury said women today have much to celebrate when one considers the hardships that they have endured during the pre-independence and post-independence eras. She recalled the role Janet Jagan played in the colonial days in motivating young girls and women like herself to get involved in the decision-making processes, as the patriarchal society back then discriminated against womenfolk. The “Fireball” said the former President was the reason women could celebrate the freedoms they enjoy today.

Proud to be a woman

“Women have gained a mighty lot. We are now experiencing equality, because we could hold lots of positions across the country. In all spheres of life in Guyana, they are doing all that they should do and much more. I am proud to be a woman in Guyana today,” Sahoye-Shury declared. She said women must celebrate the fact that today they are more empowered and respected. “They can vote… they can get married (civil servants)… they can participate freely in poli-tics…they can speak frankly. We could not do these things back then,” Sahoye-Shury stated. Her life was not made easy when she made the decision to enter the world of work and the realm of politics. A registered nurse at the time, Sahoye-Shury stated that she and other female civil servants were made to work as many as 12 hours per day and were debarred from becoming formally educated in various subject matters.

Inspired

She said while in her twenties, she ventured to a public meeting where she heard Janet Jagan speak for the first time. Sahoye-3hury remembered Jagan’s bravery and how she genuinely addressed the issues affecting women at that time. “I entered politics because of Janet and Cheddi Jagan… those times, women did not have any initiatives and they felt inferior. She inspired me… after hearing her speak, I told my mother I have to become like Janet Jagan,” she said during the interview with Guyana Times.

She immediately started to work with Mrs Jagan on a campaign around the country aimed at getting families to start investing in the education of girls. “We went from door to door and from com-munity to community,” she noted while underscoring that the fight then was for equal rights. Asked what were some of the major challenges she faced when she entered the political environment, the “Fireball” remarked “resistance from men” and non-acceptance from the colonial elites. Sahoye-Shury later went on to become the General Secretary of the Guyana Sugar Workers Union and worked feverishly to change the name to the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU). She faced severe hardships, along with her colleagues, back in 1964 as they attempted to bargain for recognition of GAWU.

According to Sahoye-Shury, her next struggle was to fight alongside her comrades for the independence of Guyana. She later be-came President of the Women’s Progressive Organisation of Guyana. Sahoye-Shury, who enjoys reading and giving inspirational talks, was appointed as a Member of Parliament for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic during the peri-od 1968 to 1971. She was later appointed the Parliamentary Secretary for the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry and the Housing and Water Ministry.

“I am hoping that we will have another female as President of this country before I die,” she said passionately, noting that the future of women looks even brighter. “I don’t have disappointments,” she responded when asked about the criticisms women face today in their quest for gender equality and recognition. “Women have handled it superbly so far”, and cannot afford to stop the journey just yet, Sahoye-Shury stated.

The only woman charged and jailed for sedition in Guyana, Sahoye-Shury said: “I have no regrets and if I have to do it, I will do it all over again, because I am a woman.” She also paid tribute to all of the other sterling women who have played fascinating roles in shaping Guyana today, while paving the way for younger girls to take over the mantle.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Residents of the North Pakaraimas today woke up to the music, entertainment, and information broadcasting live from NCERD’s EDYOU FM Kingston, Georgetown location.

Kato gets radio broadcast for the first time, strengthening its distance education thrust by ensuring that the same premium quality of education experienced on the coast of Guyana is delivered to the hinterland and riverine communities throughout the country.

Commenting on this groundbreaking development, Acting Headteacher of Kato Primary, Ms Darlene Persaud, said, “Once we get enough radios, students would be able to listen to lessons daily in the dorms, with or without teachers, enjoy storytelling, listen to sensible music, etc. With limited internet access, even adults can learn and be entertained in the village, or farm, or even while traversing long lonely mountains, valleys and creeks.”

The resident graduate Cadet Officer attached to the Department of Education, Region 8, Ms Karen Abrahams, also expressed excitement and, in an invited comment, emphasised the importance of the scheduled content “What is especially interesting is the Literary Hour since teachers have a difficulty teaching this area. The radio broadcast will benefit both teachers and learners equally.”

Head of EDYOU FM, Mr Phillip Williams, says that “the Ministry of Education intends to provide more FM radio sets to the schools and even villagers later in the new year. “

EDYOU FM provides balanced entertainment and educational content and scheduled curriculum-driven student lessons.

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