Government profiting from rising costs 'not right'

Government profiting from rising costs 'not right'Just nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleGeorgina BarnesJerseyBBCCarl Walker said it wasn't fair for the government to be "making money from a cost-of-living crisis"Jersey's government profiting off islanders through taxes because of rising gas and fuel prices "doesn't feel right", the head of Jersey's Consumer Council (JCC) says.Cost-of-living pressures have been caused by disruptions to shipments of oil and gas through the critical Strait of Hormuz since the war began on 28 February. Increased gas costs because of the war have been affecting local businesses and the farming industry.Carl Walker of the JCC said it was not fair the "amount that the government makes in GST and fuel duty" rose as the cost of fuel went upThe government charges a goods and services tax (GST) of 5% on most things imported into the island. It has been contacted for comment.Walker said over the past few years islanders had been affected by high inflation which had now been heightened by the impacts of the war and it was not fair for the government to be "profiteering or making money from a cost-of-living crisis"."Without opening the can of worms in terms of removing GST off fuel, there might be levers available to them where they can cap the amount of duty or reduce the amount of duty there," he said.Walker said it was not just people with vehicles being impacted because the rising prices were included in "everything that we deliver" and "everything that we consume".He said: "This year alone, in the last three months, electricity, water and now gas have all gone up in price - we are coming out of the winter... But don't forget, people still need it to cook, people still need that energy to heat their hot water."Walker suggested the government "might be able to find some money from somewhere and delay a project in order t...