Tutuvatu Forum

Boss · Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Posts: 92

Wantoks,

I have a strong feeling that the head tax (the one collected by Mr Bell) be re-introduced in the country.

I am saying this because the cost of providing services to all citizens is increasing at an overwhelming rate. People should be paying for some part of the services they are receiving. Or, if they are not receiving any services from the government, they have a stronger and determined position to take against responsible authorities.

Currently, our people seemed to be complaining but as they are not contributing directly towards the government's purse, they do not have the strong urge to complain or even protest.

I suggest that the head tax be introduced to support government revenue as well as to empower people to talk with those in authority with determination.

By theway, any historians long here save talem iumi why nao hemi stop bifoa? I remembered growing up and seeing people spending sometime in the kalabus because of that.

Just a suggestion. Any ideas from iufala?

Boss
_________________
The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people (Woodrow Wilson)

esia · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 10:44 pm Post subject:

Got no clue what this is but sounds like collecting money from each individual? Not a bad idea at all but just expand the kalabus incase people favor going to jail to eat good food rather than having to pay for the tax.

AK47 · Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Posts: 233

Boss,

I remember back in the 90s when Ulufa'alu decided to tax every citizen's withdrawal at the NBSI. Evriwan peim 2% of their withdrawal long SIG. Olkera branch blong NBSI ranaot long seleni. Many people, instead of depositing their money in the bank, they put them in safe boxes in their own homes!
The day this tax was approve, lain long bank long narawe!

It is not a bad idea, but bae hem no waka!
_________________
For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these:
It might have been.
............
John Greenleaf Whittier

Eddie · Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Posts: 128 Location: Kiwi

Well, Mr Bell was killed for that reason and SIG might be killed for the same reason.

Andy · Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Posts: 199 Location: Qld, Australia

Wantoks,

I remember growing up in Makira in the 1990s and I saw it was collected. It was $10 per adult head back then in Makira. I also remember we had to pay tax for our hunting dogs. My father applied to be exempt because in the 80s he had four sons (my brothers) at high school- Su'u and Pawa Schools. It was easy for him because his cousin was the Area Council member in our community.

I think the reason why the tax came to a halt was to do with the demise of the Area Council system. In my community, it was AC job to collect the tax and sent it to KiraKira. When the ACS stopped, I noticed the tax collection also ceased. I could be wrong.

I think it was late Mamaloni who came up with the idea of 2% tax on every single bank withdrawal. The idea died before it was implemented.

I do not know if re-introducing it will help service-delivery in our rural areas. The Gov't already has lots of money, including the ever-corrupt MPs. We should try, firstly, devise a system where any development money should be spent, accounted for and audit before we look at revenue collection. It is the system and the people that run the system that fail us at the time.

Ozzie · Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 47 Location: Australia

I think the head tax (if I remember my history it was only paid by adult men) as collected by Mr Bell was the reason families allowed their men to be blackbirded, and many Malaitans moved to other islands (eg Levers Plantations) as there was not enough paid work in Malaita, and the British refused to accept shell money.
The only way this would work would be if the infrastructure was adequate for people in remote areas to get their products to market.
I have been in hard-working villages in the Reef Islands during the tension, where the only people earning money were the nurse and the teacher, because they were paid by the government.
The copra driers had rusted, there was no money for new ones to be built, and no transport for the copra to a market.
Fix the infrastructure first, then consider this sort of tax.

Dave · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Honiara

I support the idea of the head tax. It is a token that people are contributing to their development.The money should go straight to the development of their ward/constituency.People now are too demanding and expecting without working hard for their own services . Along with this the area councils shoud be revived. I think it will encourage people to work hard and perhaps be enovating in making money than sitting on their butt and just expect services. It should be given a try, only a small % of us working have been heavily taxed for every one
_________________
Struggling Solomon Islander

Boss · Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Posts: 92

Hi All,

Thank you for those who commented on the suggestion of re-introducing the head tax! As most seem to agree, having more taxes is not in the best interest of our people especially when they are not given the opportunity to an income source, let alone support from MPs and provincial governments. I see where you are coming from and agree to a certain extent. Thanks Esia for sounding the warning on the possibility of having to increase kalabus' maximum capacities! Some in the past never go to kalabus but were given community work like constructing classrooms, roads, clinics and other community amenities.

I guess the most important issues that emerge from the preceding discussions are:

1. How do we open up opportunities for people to earn an income? Some suggest improving infrastructure that link the rural population to (urban) markets as a potential solution. But, the question is how do we improve infrastructure that will only lead to further depletion of our meagre resources to support the uneconomical routes? The basic tenet of investment is to get something out of that investment (added value), preferably a profit or bonus. The current position by CNURA Government to subsidise uneconomic shipping routes has its justifications from ‘improved infrastructure = rural development’ perspective. I personally do not buy into that argument. I think it is a misguided policy that discourages rural development except for the improved and presumably cheaper transport networks that encourages further urbanisation.

I would like to see government encourage people to be entrepreneurial by first opening up markets for whatever produce they have (based on comparative advantage), pressure/entice them to make use of such opportunities by improving infrastructure (shipping/transportation etc) PLUS the imposition of a ‘commitment’ (e.g. taxes) on the people. People’s ‘commitments’ would then be returned through services from government. Currently, the government of this poor (a member of the worlds Least Developed Countries) playing the Good Samaritan role while rural folks always present the image of victims waiting to be saved. This mentality must change as these rural people are able to support themselves of course with well calculated support from government. The approach since 1978 has led our people to approach life through pessimism, a sense of helplessness and waiting for a 'saviour'(donors and government/RCDF). Consequently, the country remains static and goodness knows the fate of 'joy, peace, progress and prosperity' sang every night over SIBC!

2. Empowerment through contribution towards a cause: Like Dave, I am of the opinion that people would only feel a part of an entity (community, nation, etc.) if they contribute towards its aims and aspirations. Is there a way that our people could be seen as contributing towards the development of Solomon Islands or for the province they belong to? If the head tax is unacceptable for obvious reasons, what other ways could people contribute financially towards their own development (apart from taxes on food etc.)?

One finds individuals in our villages complaining about MPs and government offices misusing or misappropriating funds. However, they will remain silent when you ask them about what they as individuals contribute towards government financing for at least the panadol tablets and teachers’ salaries they have in their villages. I would argue that this silence is a sign of ignorance of government functions, their expected contributions or a challenge that they do not anticipate as proud hardworking individuals. My point is that we need to give Solomon Islanders the reason to believe that they are a part of Solomon Islands. As such, they are required to give and also expect from government ...it is a two way process. When they know that they've worked their guts and contribute to government finances, they would be in a stronger position collectively to ‘confront’ authorities when services are not right for them.

More importantly, having 'something' that pushes people in the rural areas to contribute in tangible ways towards government finances would also influence genuine appeals by them on their MPs to utilize the RCDF’s rightly. There is no pressure for able men in villages to make money and so they always come up with all sorts of projects in the form of poultry, sewing, bakeries that stopped operations on the day the day the project money is paid. If they have a ‘commitment’ enforced by government with severe consequences, misusing RCDF and aid money by both the MPS and project owners may somewhat be limited. Rural development can only happen if there is a 'push' that ensures people contribute towards what they use. It could also give them a stronger position to complain and protest as when necessary.

On the issue of whether such moves will work or not, how do we come to such a conclusion? May be the enforcement of such revenue strategies were to be blamed in post colonial Solomon Islands. By the way, it worked well during the colonial period! I am of the opinion that any rural development strategy that also insists on individuals contributing towards national revenue would be sustainable. Moreover, it would instil in both the MPs’ and villagers’ minds that rural development operates in both the receiving and giving modes.

Efforts should now be exerted to encourage entrepreneurship and away from the ‘Good Samaritan’ approaches to development.

Boss

AK47 · Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Posts: 233

Dave,
The government should not tax every single adult in SI because we literally have nothing! no income and no opportunities, especially in rural area. Taxim olketa hem nerawe. Majority of SIslders do live in the villages and to taxing them when they don't even have a dollar in their pockets is not a good idea. There are better ways to bring in revenues and sure enough taxing is not an ideal strategy.
_________________
For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these:
It might have been.
............
John Greenleaf Whittier

esia · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 1:42 pm Post subject:

Boss,
Good points you put out here. We are now hitting the crossroads where government revenue from industries like logging is dwindling as it finally comes into a inevitable closure. We obviously have to find other ways of supplementing this vacuum.
The government announced areas like tourism, fisheries and agricultural farming as the likely industries to take over. Therefore, in the bigger more populated islands, improving rural infrastructure will definitely boost rural economies since these industries rely very much on improved supporting infrastructures. This we can clearly see in other Pacific island countries where infrastructures are quite extensive linking urban to rural areas like Samoa, Fiji, Palau. The notion of encouraging further urbanization through these improvements might be a premature conclusion to draw. This argument can be further drawn to a more global scale to see economic factors as one of the main ‘pull’ factors for people to migrate to richer countries. Perhaps, these improvements will open economic opportunities in the rural areas reversing the urbanization flow. Again, this depends on a whole range of other factors as well including what you mention here a sense of helplessness and waiting for a 'saviour' type of mentality, peoples creativity and savvy to make things work!

Will head-tax truly empower people or accelerate this sense of helplessness and waiting for savior type of mentality? Since there is no economic activities at all in the rural areas to help with head-tax. I mean poor folks in Anuta or Sikaiana will definitely demand more from the government since they are paying taxes equally as citizens of Guale who enjoy good roads and accessibility to far more economic opportunities etc.

Having said all these, I see head tax as another way of equally sharing health care costs, government subsidies to uneconomical routes etc. Somebody has to pay for all these. A hard to buy argument with our rural folks who expect alot from the government even their own wantoks living in Honiara. I remember negotiating with the Chief of Anuta Island for a clinic(and a Nurse) on the island only to be flatly rejected sighting a reason for the Government to impose tax on him and his people. I was rather bemused by this claim because there were two mothers who earlier died of delivery related complications on the island. A different issue altogether but related to the topic under discussion. Ting ting noma.

Eddie · Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Posts: 128 Location: Kiwi

Although the idea is good, i have a feeling that rural people might not accept it. They believe that government is for the people and has an obligation to serve its people no matter what happens. They have contributed thru' the electorate process and that is their right and government must honour them including international conventions to reflect its commitment to the people.

Looking at the various financial assistant available for rural development and mechanisms in place there is something available for them. The only problem is that it needs the right kind of people and policies to trigger these processes and eventually reach where it suppose to reach.

Andy · Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Posts: 199 Location: Qld, Australia

Wantoks,

I disagree that rural folks would not have the means to pay their "symbolic tax". Just look at every Sunday church service or other important lotu days. People give to the church as though there is no tomorrow!!!! Maybe the church and helping those bishops live in beautiful air-con houses is more important.

I do not mind a $5 or $10 tax on every adult man and woman so long as we have a transparent and fair system. Instead of our rural folks beg their employed wantoks for money, maybe they can help their rural families with their tax contribution.

This system will also help reduce population growth. Perhaps??? Some parents may feel that having more kids mean paying more taxes compared to the ones that have less people in the family (yes, we are taking about either 18 or 21 as the taxing age, but 25 can also be one).

In the past up to the 80's, people faithfully and dutifully pay their tax. However, at that time people saw that their gov't helped them. In those days, gov't provided shipping services. The people of TP, for instance, paid their tax because they saw Butai, Baruku or Belama around their islands just about every month. Guales paid their tax because they saw Bulawa, Kangava or Wango in the Weather Coast evey month.

My point is it is a two way system. People are willing to be taxed if they know that they will get something in return. It might be a hard sale now but one that could be done. The gov't, both national and provincial, must be faithful in their obligations to their people.

It is a pity that with so much money around, our nation seems to be going economically backwards. In those days, MPs never had in their possession $$$millions. Yet there was some progess in most rural life. I still remember in the 80's where MUP was still able to send a dozer, loader and other trucks to maintain our roads from KiraKira to West Bauro area. If the rivers damaged our roads after a flooding, the roads would be fixed soon. Not nowdays, yet our gov'ts, both national and provincial, have $$$$ flying around: too many o/seas trips for nothing, MPs in possession and control their voters $$$ as though it belongs to them and countless hiring of consultants and PA.

We need to move back to basic and responsible gov't.