Opposition chides IMF

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Observer - THE Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has chided the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for supporting what it described as the Government's 'scandalous raid' on the National Housing Trust (NHT) for $11 billion annually to fund the country's debt, as one of several new revenue measures announced in Parliament earlier this week. In the meantime, the Opposition said its legal team would be examining the legality of the decision to pull money from the NHT as well as that of some of the other recently announced tax measures. "I am surprised that the IMF is prepared to join with the Government in this tax package which has no rhyme and reason, except to attack the productive sector... and not ensuring we have a sustainable tax reform going forward," Opposition Finance Spokesperson Audley Shaw told reporters. "I am surprised that the IMF appears to be supporting this. It is scandalous and I am telling them they better look at it again," Shaw said.