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Time to Introduce a Fat Tax

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The health of nations is more important than the wealth of nations.

-Will Durant

Chief Medical Officer of Barbados Dr. Kenneth George was quoted in the news recently his concern about the rise of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs). He singled out hypertension commonly referred to as the silent killer.

His intervention on the vexing issue of the high incidence of NCDs should give the country pause. A scan of the 2019-2020 Draft Estimates (TABLE 5) confirms what we know, taxpayers for another year will be asked to finance a significant national health budget allocation.  Several years on if an honest assessment were to be made the conclusion has to be, we MUST change our health policy. In other words, Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Minister Jeffery Bostic- the country has not only descended into the economic doldrums, please add the health of citizens.

Barbadians have enthusiastically ingested the fast food culture exported from the Great White North. There is a generation weaned on Chefette and KFC menus. A typical pastime on social media is to be on the lookout for the ‘specials. The consumption behaviour of fast food will not change anytime soon. We should expect the ramification of the addiction to remove a large slice from national budget pie.

Under normal circumstances the adage that “the most important part of solving a problem is to know” will not apply. We have crossed the Rubicon. To impose a fat tax – call it what you want – will cause a sitting government to lose at the next general election. It is that serious.

Instead we prefer to glamorize obesity and blame a busy lifestyle which does not permit finding one hour to cook a meal.

Instead we prefer to glamorised oversized men and women to justify that to engage in an unhealthy lifestyle is acceptable because we are too busy doing some irrelevant activity.

Our health is not important enough to make time. Read the excuses now!

The blogmaster is not so naive to disregard the right of individuals to do as they please within the bounds of the law. However, if the errant behaviour will increase my tax contribution there is a good argument that those intent on feeding a negative lifestyle should pay a disproportionate the tax contribution.

 

 

 

 

 

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204 responses to “Time to Introduce a Fat Tax”

  1. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Excuse me, another new tax?

    It is downright perverse to demand another new tax. Is the Barbadian welfare and redistribution state not fat enough?

    How about putting civil servants on a financial diet for once?

    Where other states are looking for solutions, a new tax is introduced in Barbados.

    And anyway, the people on this island have become so fat because a certain businessman and his associates have set up fast food restaurants all over the island that poison the population with garbage. It is time to close all fast food restaurants and ban sugary drinks once and for all.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    A relevant link:

    https://www.tv6tnt.com/news/regional/ncd-concerns-for-barbados/article_4b24f110-4414-11e9-9977-7772f7fbfd30.html

  3. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    taxes should not be targetted at a certain group of people

    that being said i wonder how much MAM would be assessed or would she be exempted?

  4. David Avatar
    David

    What an asinine comment.

    You are aware a fat tax is used to describe a tax on unhealthy foods?

  5. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    cool out mate. dont get your undies in a bunch.

    but i was referring to the foods she eats. and i guess she doent eat broccoli alone

  6. David Avatar
    David

    What if she has a medical condition?

    You need to count to 10.

  7. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Greene
    .
    Haa. Ha. Ha.. Busting out wid laughter
    Man dat is one for comedy hour

  8. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    mate, you need to stop looking for a fight. there is none here. i already said that taxes should not be punitive or targeted at a certain group of people- she may fall into that category. Capiche

  9. David Avatar
    David

    The blog is about a nation mired in an unhealthy lifestyle that is impacting the health budget and the only comment you can come up with is to zoom in on the prime minister. You again may have the last word.

  10. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    If she has a medical condition. Her doctors would alert her and recommend foods that are not fattening
    Right now she looks as if she eats any and every thing
    Maybe too much cou cou and puddin and souse and sweet bread
    She is almost the size of a beach Whale

  11. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    and so i will

    didnt the DLP took initial steps in this regard by introducing a sugar tax which was ridiculed by the said MAM and the BLP?

  12. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    Besides she should lead by example. Sinckler say what you like about him was big and fat and he took some steps to do something about that. maybe it was medically induced but it happened nevertheless.

    maybe MAM could take a leaf out of his book in that regard

  13. David Avatar
    David

    The blogmaster does not expect you to be aware but our layman understanding of this matter suggest there are a few medical conditions which cause obesity read not influenced by diet. This is not to say it is the case with the prime minister. You too can have the last word.

  14. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    David,

    what was your stance with regard to the DLP’s sugar tax?

  15. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Tron March 11, 2019 7:19 PM
    “And anyway, the people on this island have become so fat because a certain businessman and his associates have set up fast food restaurants all over the island that poison the population with garbage. It is time to close all fast food restaurants and ban sugary drinks once and for all.”
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Tron, you are operating in the right are(n)a but too far from the centre of ‘practical’ reality.

    Banning anything is too extreme and would lead only to turning unhealthy bad foods into highly risky but extremely fast profitable business just like marijuana; or even alcohol in days of American Prohibition.

    David (BU) can verify that the miller has been calling for this FAT TAX on well-established fast food outlets for a very long time ‘now’.

    Why reinvent the tax wheel?
    Why not impose a FAT Tax on all fast food outlets by making it part of the existing VAT regime?

    Why not increase the VAT rate on fast food outlets to 30% instead of the existing general 17.5% expected to increase next week to 20 % under the IMF directive?

    But you ought not to expect any sea of change from any politically-distrusting regime which comes to power by promising to make its mark by making a difference whether in respect of the health of the people or that of the environment.

    Do you really expect the government to ban the importation of ‘processed’ water in plastic bottles as it is promising to ban plastic bags for supermarket shopping or containers for fast food takeaway consumption?

  16. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Miller, You indicate that Bizzy is some sort of Al Capone? 😉

  17. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    David is a phony his job is to run cover for the blp govt who has every intention of taxing every body to death
    Right now between the fast foods and govt taxes those two combined are a guaranteed recipe for death by heart attack
    Dont pay David no mind when Sinckler introduced the sweet drink tax he and the other blp yardducks condemned Sinckler to a life of hell
    Mia needs to set an example before she can crticize the bajan food habits because one good look at her weight suggest that she has a large appetite enough to make her look like a whale

  18. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    IF YOU DRINK RUM IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa

    IF YOU EAT CARBOHYDRATES IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa

    IF YOU EAT PROTEINS IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa

    IF YOU EAT FATS RUM IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa

    WHAT EVER YOU EAT IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa EXCEPT FOR BUSH

    SO WUH YA AH DO?

    WILL YOU BLOCK ACETYLCOa FORMATION?

    TEACH ME!

  19. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Q What if she has a medical condition?
    DO YOU REALLY WANT AN ANSWER TO DAT QUESTION, SIR

  20. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    It will always be too much to hope for to expect a woman who has been ‘big’ or too big all her life to set the example for a healthy lifestyle.

    Even the sound of this has the ring of a Thompson redux. But she needs not fear for only Dees seem to ‘refuse to go on while in office’.

    Maybe a better example could be set by building the infrastructure where healthy foods can be grown locally, plentifully, made easily available and cheap. This must mean agricultural reform, post haste.

    However, the most important thing would be to socialize or educate the children to eat better.

    At the same time we would agree with a ‘fat tax’ at the point of delivery although it now seems that we have a tax for everything. That can’t be good!

    At the end of the day we doubt that the country will muster the fortitude to curb addictions to bad foods or what Polen calls ‘edible substances’.

  21. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    RE Chief Medical Officer of Barbados Dr. Kenneth George was quoted in the news recently his concern about the rise of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs). He singled out hypertension commonly referred to as the silent killer.

    ARE THESE MORONS SUGGESTING THAT OBESITY IS THE ONLY CAUSE FOR NCDs OR ITS RISE?

    TEACH ME!

    I OFFERED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION What if she has a medical condition?

    BUT MY POST WAS DELETED
    I GUESS I AM NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY

  22. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Q WHAT ARE HEALTHY AND UNHEALTHY FOODS?
    ANY NUTRITIONISTS OUT THERE?

  23. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Fat tax my ars
    Unconstitutional and not fair
    What about those people who eat or drink those foods and never get fat
    Must they pocket books take some of the tax burden
    Some body needs to explain what Fat tax means

  24. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @David March 11, 20197:30 PM “You are aware a fat tax is used to describe a tax on unhealthy foods?”

    Yes we are aware.

    BUT, there is always a but. There are no obese adults who have not spent years eating and drinking unhealthy food.

    And not exercising.

  25. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @David March 11, 2019 7:39 PM “What if she has a medical condition?”

    David the time has long past when we should be claiming “medical conditions” for our own obesity and that of others.

    You may have noticed avid that there are no obese people in refugee camps.

    Does that mean that there are no “medical conditions” in refugee camps?

  26. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @David March 11, 2019 8:06 PM “The blogmaster does not expect you to be aware but our layman understanding of this matter suggest there are a few medical conditions which cause obesity read not influenced by diet.”

    Such as what David?

    Name us two or three.

    I’ll name you one to get your started: Prader-Willi Syndrome.

    None of our political class, including Chris has Prader-Willi.

  27. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    “Does that mean that there are no “medical conditions” in refugee camps?”

    Correct! They die of natural causes induced by lack of medication.

  28. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @Georgie Porgie March 11, 2019 8:54 PM “IF YOU DRINK RUM IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa, IF YOU EAT CARBOHYDRATES IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa, IF YOU EAT PROTEINS IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa, IF YOU EAT FATS RUM IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa, WHAT EVER YOU EAT IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa

    EXCEPT FOR BUSH

    SO WUH YA AH DO? WILL YOU BLOCK ACETYLCOa FORMATION?

    TEACH ME!”

    Always happy to teach.

    Eat mostly bush.

    Vigorous exercise for at least 4 hours each week.

    And use some of the tax money to build proper sidewalks everywhere, so that we don’t feel the need to drive the Mercedes to the corner shop.

    And use some of the tax money for proper public transportation, so that we don’t have to drive expensive, foreign exchange wasting cars everywhere. We can walk on our nice new sidewalks 15 minutes to our bus stops every morning and 15 minutes back home every evening.

    And some decent street light too, so that we are not afraid of breaking our ankles in the unseen potholes.

    A little bit at a time, until we get to a better place, not only physically, but economically too.

  29. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    RE There are no obese adults who have not spent years eating and drinking unhealthy food.

    And not exercising.

    THIS STATEMENT IS FALSE

    RE there are no obese people in refugee camps. WHY IS THIS?

    Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder due to loss of function of specific genes. In newborns, symptoms include weak muscles, poor feeding, and slow development. Beginning in childhood, the person becomes constantly hungry, which often leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

    Prader–Willi syndrome IS BY DEFINITION INFLUENCED BY DIET UH LIE?

  30. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @FearPlay March 11, 2019 10:17 PM ““Does that mean that there are no “medical conditions” in refugee camps?” Correct! They die of natural causes induced by lack of medication.”

    How do you account for the fact that there are no fat or obese people in refugee camps, except maybe for the “aid” workers.

  31. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    I am all for a fat tax if it is going to be used for the things i suggested above. Otherwise it is a waste of time. Just a way for the government to collect more money.

  32. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Always happy to teach.

    Eat mostly bush.

    ELEPHANTS AND OTHER LARGE MAMMALS EAT ONLY BUSH

    TEACH SHITE YOU CAN TEACH ME ANYTHING BOUT THIS

    “IF YOU DRINK RUM IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa, IF YOU EAT CARBOHYDRATES IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa, IF YOU EAT PROTEINS IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa, IF YOU EAT FATS RUM IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa, WHAT EVER YOU EAT IT WILL BE CONVERTED IN THE LIVER TO ACETYLCOa

    ACETYLCOa IS THE ISSUE JACKASS
    HOW THE BODY HANDLES ACETYLCOa IS THE ISSUE

  33. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    And NCD’s are on the rise partly because we are an aging population.

    For example i did not have hypertension when i was 6, 16, 26, 36, 46, 56 nor 60.

    But now I am one of those people who keeps Dr. George and the other policy makers awake at night.

    And there are a lot of people in Barbados of my generation.

    We survived the “childhood” diseases, and now we inflict our sick old selves on this young generation.

    But there was a time when we too were young and healthy.

  34. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    FYI the Great White North generally refers to Canada, KFC, McD, Burger King, Subway are all US inventions.

  35. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @Georgie Porgie March 11, 2019 10:29 PM “ELEPHANTS AND OTHER LARGE MAMMALS EAT ONLY BUSH.”

    I don’t think that the size of the elephants in Kenya keeps Bajan policy makers up at night.

  36. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    RE And NCD’s are on the rise partly because we are an aging population.

    For example i did not have hypertension when i was 6, 16, 26, 36, 46, 56 nor 60.

    THERE ARE MANY ELDERLY WHO DO NOT HAVE NCD’S
    WGAT DOES YOUR HYPERTNSION HAVE TO DO WITH A FAT TAX

    RE I don’t think that the size of the elephants in Kenya keeps Bajan policy makers up at night.

    I DONT THINK SO EITHER BUT “ELEPHANTS AND OTHER LARGE MAMMALS EAT ONLY BUSH.”

    SO EATING MAINLY BUSH IS CLEARLY NOT THE SOLUTION KNOW IT ALL MORON

  37. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @”The blogmaster is not so naive to disregard the right of individuals to do as they please within the bounds of the law. However, if the errant behaviour will increase my tax contribution there is a good argument that those intent on feeding a negative lifestyle should pay a disproportionate the tax contribution.”

    BUT, there is always a but. I haven’t gained any weight in more than 20 years. In fact at my last check-up i had lost a few pounds.

  38. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @Georgie Porgie March 11, 2019 10:40 PM

    David’s article speaks to both obesity and NCD’s

    Eating mainly bush has not been my only suggestion.

    i suggested exercise as well.

    And infrastructural improvements to more easily allow people to keep physically active.

    Anyway my chief has just ordered me to bed, and i know that my God will grant be sweet sleep.

    So a good night to you.

  39. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Q How do you account for the fact that there are no fat or obese people in refugee camps,
    A NO ACETYLCOa IN INMATES

    RE I haven’t gained any weight in more than 20 years. In fact at my last check-up i had lost a few pounds.
    SO WHAT?
    YOU EATING HEALTHY FOOD AND EXERCISING AND STILL GOT HYPERTENSION?
    THOU WHO KNOWEST ALL?
    TALKING ABOUT BLOWHARDS
    WE ALWAYS GOT TO HEAR BOUT YOU?
    THOUGHT THE TOPIC WAS ABOUT FAX TAX

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @NO

    Played on the reference Great White North to mean we tend to sink our teeth into what happens North of us. That said it is probably not the best way to convey the message.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    This is the point!

    What health policy change can be implemented to help turn things around?

    Some of us are always quick to cry foul for asking for a change to the status quo even if there is clear evidence we must. In this case Barbados is said to have one of the highest NCD rates in the world. This state translates in high health cost. This cannot be refuted. In the same way economic reform is necessary, should it not extend to the health system?

  42. David Avatar
    David

    We wait to see what Budget Day offers next week Wednesday.

  43. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    WHEN IT WAS ASKED WHICHmedical conditions which cause obesity read not influenced by diet.”

    THE KNOW IT ALL JACKASS SAID

    I’ll name you one to get your started: Prader-Willi Syndrome.

    DOES THE KNOW IT ALL JACKASS KNOW THAT Prader-Willi Syndrome. IS AN INBORN ERROR OF METABOLISM AND THAT THE OBESITY CAUSED THEREIN IS ASSOCIATED WITH weak muscles, poor feeding, Beginning in childhood, the person becomes constantly hungry, which often leads to obesity

    weak muscles OF MASTICATION LEADS TO , poor feeding, AND THEREFORE dECREASED ACETYLCOa
    WHICH LEADS TO the person becomes constantly hungry, TO GET ACETLYCOA which often leads to obesity WHICH RESULTS FROM INCREASED ACETYLCOA

    SO CLEARLY ACETYLCOA FORMATION IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN THE CAUSE OF OBESITY UH LIE?

  44. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    We wait to see what Budget Day offers next week Wednesday.

    HOW WILL BUDGET DAY AFFECT THE INCIDENCE OF OBESITY OR NCD’S WHEN IT IS CLEAR THAT IT DOES NOT SEEM THAT THE ASTIOLOGY IS KNOWN FOR THESE DISEASES

    HOW WILL THEY KNOW WITH OUT A TEACHER?
    HOW WILL THEY LEARN IF SEMI ILLITERATES AND KNOW IT ALLS TALKING SHITE WHEN YA TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE BASICS
    THEN THE DEVIL CHANTS THAT YOUR PPTS ARE BAD ETC
    YA JUST GIVE UP CAUSE YA NOT ACCUSTOMED TO SUCH HARRASSMENT

  45. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    David

    In a democracy the people have the right to eat as they see fit or so desire and no government or government agency has the right to dictate to the citizenry what it can and cannot eat.

    Now is it illegal to eat unhealthy foods in Barbados? It such is the case why not ban the importation, manufacture and production of such foods all together, but taxing its … come on man…just another way to burden the man who is trying to make ends meet the right way…

  46. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    David

    If government was truly concerned about the health of the people it would have stop the importation of cigarettes … Which contributes to lung cancer, kidney cancer, bowel cancer, COPD, heart disease and a whole range of other disease …not mention the financial burden cigarettes use place on the healthcare system…

  47. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    David

    If the Chief Health Officer was seriously concerned about the eating habits of Barbadians … He would have educated them on the dangers of consuming too much sodium in their diet, and the long term effects it could have on their blood pressure levels…
    David, why is it that Caucasians can consume high quantities of sodium and it does not impact their blood pressure levels as it does in the black population? Because genetically the black population has a sodium sensitive gene …

  48. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    David

    Here is what the Chief Health Officer should be saying to the Barbadian people: if you consume foods high in sodium over time this could elevate your blood pressure levels… because sodium stays in the blood and push your pressure up …
    David, in 1972 my mother late was diagnosed with hypotension, and the doctor told my mother to go home and eat salt …think about that for a moment …

  49. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    Georgie Porgie

    You only read about people who have the Prader Willi syndrome, but I have worked with them for many years … this is a very rare disease that is mostly found in people with mental retardation …which I have worked with for many years …these people have to be monitored 24/7 because they would eat anything just like pica disorder …go and study Pica Disorder GP

  50. David Avatar
    David

    The high level of NCDs is a financial burden, we can have education programs but there is the immediate cost that must be addressed.

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