Draft legislation to establish a dedicated Sports Fund partly financed by a levy on fuel imports (see Friday/Saturday edition) is not a luxury. Recent experience with the CARIFTA Games showed how important reserving means to represent the country at tournaments abroad can be.
Local facilities require urgent attention too, illustrated by national football teams not having been able to play FIFA-sanctioned matches at home because the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex stadium did not comply with conditions for such. And as Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs pointed out, it is not only about athletes competing at the highest level but also promoting overall sports participation and wellbeing.
A similar levy for one guilder cent per litre of gasoline had been introduced as pilot programme by former ECYS minister Rodolphe Samuel. The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) confirmed it was indeed collected, but according to Gumbs ECYS has so far been unable to determine exactly where the money went.
Having related income transferred by fuel importers directly into a dedicated fund is to prevent such issues in the future. It’s comparable to establishing a Road Fund for motor vehicle tax revenues to ensure means for infrastructure upkeep as currently planned.
Diesel was not included in the new proposal for now, since that will likely lead to increased utility bills. Especially with GEBE just having raised its fuel clause, that seems the prudent thing to do.
While going up to a tariff of three or five cents would produce significantly more, it is not deemed advisable certainly seeing current oil prices. One must also consider that motorists can always switch to French side gas stations.
The one-cent version presently on the table should generate approximately Cg. 284,000 per year. Filling up the tank will cost an extra Cg. 0.40 for 40 litres, Cg. Cg. 0.60 for 60 and Cg. 0.80 for 80.
Hopefully fuel rates drop at least somewhat before the law goes into effect, to soften the impact on already high transportation expenses. People ought to keep in mind that it’s ultimately for a good cause.
