The firefighter thread caused me to sit back and think who is really paying them. In the states our towns with maybe a little help from the state and feds have to pay for police and firefighters. So, our local taxes, state taxes and fed taxes pay for our public service.

So, in Jamaica who pays into the whole tax thing? Since most of the non resort business transactions that I see as a TOURIST are in cash without even a computer to track the transaction....is it a honor system? I just can't imagine a beach hustler running down to Sav to pay into the system. On the same note, I can't imagine anyone that is hard up for money waving their hands to offer up some money to pay for taxes for the firefighters, police and the other things that tax money is used for.

Does anyone from the JA gov go around and ask the cash people to cough up some dough? Or (my assumption) is it the people with traceable incomes that cover for most of the rest?

home and land owners pay property taxes...