Christopher D. Lowe
“As a very open economy it has long been the policy of the Government to protect the right of legal entities to import and export authorised goods without arbitrary restrictions”. Bahamas Minister of State for Finance, addressing the WTO.
Are you kidding?
On what planet do these people live?
Certainly not the planet upon which the Country of the Bahamas sits, within which persecutory actions by Government ministries fly as frequently as pigeons around my house, doing much the same to my house as these government ministers and senior civil servants do to all that fall under their prevue.
Case in point:
The recent moves by Bahamas Customs in Freeport to demand, under threat of the very restriction of trade they explicitly state does not happen, a report, a new requirement notwithstanding the assertion that it was always required but not asked for!
Not to mention that after the fact, Customs has given two different accounts of the information it should contain, and after accusing Businesses of being delinquent in providing that which most have never provided before.
In addition, by threatening to clear no trailers for non compliant companies, a threat already followed through on, they are cutting off their own noses in that reduced sales through lack of goods to sell reduces duty remitted to the treasury!!
Astounding and deplorable actions by Bahamas Customs, in the face of common sense and common decency that can only work against their credibility and that of this current Government administration on the world stage.
Perhaps a different approach would work better, even though it will be difficult for most to trust such an unpredictable and traditional adversary with a track record of ignoring their own authority and the clearly spelled out procedures and constraints.
I was naive enough to think that our government and its agents would appreciate the assistance of some of the brightest minds in the country, and be open to angles and possibilities that only the private sector can see but I am beginning to see the reality that, while they profess to be acting in our interests, everything around my visual sphere indicates decay and decline, and not just the recent issues due to the Global economic downturn.
There will be more on this to follow in the weeks to come; I just wish it was not all such a waste of what could be otherwise productive time or time spent in open honest discussions to resolve things for the benefit of all who call this country home.
Chris you are right, they do not operate on the same field as we do. Many of them are in la, la land.
In many respects you are absolutely correct Jerome.
They lose sight of the fact that if business does not survive, they don’t.
Another thing that bothers me is their accusatory tone with things.
The people they should be harassing get by without question it would appear.
I was asked to accompany a group of people to a meeting with the Minister of State for Finance, and as they were explaining where goods were allegedly being imported illegally in Grand Bahama, he (the Minister) actually identified the places in question.
As we were leaving he asked those in attendance for the evidence.
I wrote him a private e-mail to suggest that he had access to the Customs and Police information etc and noted that I found it curious he would ask those involved for the evidence.
He never answered my e-mail.
The relationship between the Government,its departments and the private sector is much akin to the relationship between the soccer player and the ball:
Without the ball, there is no game, but the ball gets the worse for wear being kicked around with regularity!
I not sure of the context of your “meeting” with regards to imports in Freeport, but it wouldn’t surprise me that they would “ask the plumber about the activities of the electrician” as they are clueless about the activities of either!!
No slight intended towards yourself, but the COmptroller seems to know less that anyone but no doubt has to contend with the need for more revenue.
Perhaps a reminder that they should earn it if needed should suffice.
I work for a company that:
has no Government credit, can’t find that dept.
is upfront in its dealings with Government and public alike
has raised the standard of product supply to unseen levels in the Bahamas
is running at efficiency levels unseen in the Bahamas and on par with U.S. counterparts
is as ready for WTO, EU-EPA, CARIB-CAN as any Bahamian company can be given the Government secrecy surrounding these events.
Manages to thrive and survive in the face of our Government and its arbitrary and lethargic confusion and slight.
I for one am sick and tired of their wanton destruction of anything good.