28 Dec 2016

Tax reform will be up for debate in New Caledonia's Congress

11:52 am on 28 December 2016

New Caledonia's Congress will be convened on Friday to again debate a tax reform which was due to come into effect next year.

The reform was adopted by the Congress at the start of the month and would have cut the taxes of nine out of ten households by up to 67 percent.

However, the Republicans and the Union for Caledonia in France parties asked just before Christmas for a fresh Congress vote.

They have also proposed amendments.

The move stunned the unions and rival political parties.

In an open letter, the union movement described the decision as sabotage of a broadly supported reform.

The Caledonia Together Party likened the move to a financial coup because it says an overwhelming majority will again approve the reform.

It said the Republicans stalled the reform only because they wanted to spare the top three percent of earners from having to pay more.