As the festive season approaches many are looking forward to drinking and hanging out with friends.
Well it might not be so easy as an additional tax by the government has now ensured that those who want to drink and smoke will have to dig deeper into their pockets to do so.


Consumers of alcoholic beverages and smokers have again been hit with increased taxes as government seeks to raise an additional $772 million for the 2010/11 fiscal year.

The increases take effect today.

Finance Minister Audley Shaw, who unveiled the new measures in Parliament yesterday, said the increased taxes will "assist the government in meeting its revenue targets for the 2010/2011 fiscal year".

Shaw said a single specific Special Consumption Tax (SCT) of $960 per litre of pure alcohol will be applied to beers and stouts, wines (including beverages commonly known as tonic wines), cordials, liqueurs, vodka, whiskey, brandy, gin, underproof and overproof rum, except white overproof rum.