Every time Mr. Ishmael Lightbourne's VAT remarks get covered in the media there is a new twist.
According to The Nassau Guardian Business of Wednesday, February 19, 2013 the governments deficit spending is now the fault of foreign investors and developers.
But don't take my word for it, here's what he's quoted as saying;
"Governments have for the past two decades tried to fill the vacuum left by policies that once allowed foreign investors and developers to build without putting in their own capital investment in roads, utilities, parks and more. Succeeding governments were left to foot the bill but expenses were greater than revenue under an increasingly outdated tax system of heavy reliance on customs duties,"
In his effort to blame profligate spending that led to deficits and debt for decades now on the foreign investor and developer he makes the government look like blundering id… Well, suffice it to say it makes them look like they're not very smart.
Maybe, just maybe, with comments like these, Mr. Lightbourne is not up to the very serious business of educating the country about VAT?
It is obvious that it was the deficits and debt by successive governments and lack of spending restraint and collection of the taxes that are on the books now for decades is what got us into this mess?
He is correct that the IMF did not force The Bahamas into implementing VAT, but blaming the foreign investor or the developer, or me for that matter, is spurious nonsense. Nothing more than a straw man or red herring.
That and apparently he hasn’t paid his own property taxes,
which means he himself is partially responsible for the deficit.
Has he no shame?
How many others have used their Government positions to avoid taxes?
insofar as I’m concerned, this mans credibility is shot!
He should resign.
Seems there are no standards of conduct left,
which means nothing will change, except for the worse.
Well said Oracle.
Anyone can run up against hard times, but after all he has said over the past few months, he should resign immediately if there is any dignity left.
Certainly fuels the cronyism fire.
We are always hoping that wise minds will prevail.. Yet, all we get from government is brainless stupidity from from resurrected dupes.. Pay your taxes an take responsibility for your obligations.. You have choose to live your life as a public free loader on the backs of Bahamian society.. Before you lecture us on VAT try learning something about basic economics and public finance.. The economic destruction that you will wrought on our nation, will take its toll on you as well.. Don’t you realize that reckless government spending and imprudent and wasteful government decision making are the cause of the economic mess we find ourselves in.. We have no one to blame for this shame but our foolish selves..
I think they all need to resign starting with lightbourne working its way up & the sooner the better.I thought the old PLP was incompetent & corrupt but the new PLP seems to be well ahead.
Problem is the FNM is no alternative answer,
most are cut from the same cloth.
I’d love to see some disclosure across the board.
That the Government left hand knows not what the right is doing facilitates apathy and Insider leeway.
The public, and largely the private sector needs to stop thinking they can cut their private deals and carry on business as usual.
Disgraceful.