Opposition Leader, Mark Golding, is chiding the government for costing the country valuable revenue in a time of crisis by its delay in rolling out the increase in Environmental Levy.
Golding was responding to the tabling of the legislation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
The Environmental Protection Levy is charged on imported goods and on goods made in Jamaica.
It helps to fund agencies including the National Environment and Planning Agency, the Water Resources Authority and the Forestry Department.
In February, Finance Minister Fayval Williams announced that the levy would rise from .5 percent to .8 percent from May 1.
The increase is projected to raise about $3.6 billion.
But the increase has been on hold since May, because the legislation needed to put it into effect has only just been passed.
Golding says matters of fiscal responsibility and revenues must be given due priority in the future.
Mark Golding, Opposition Leader.
