By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie said Bahamians will likely face more taxes to generate revenue for the country should they say no to legalised web shop gaming on January 28.
The nation’s chief told reporters yesterday that his administration was currently in talks about an alternative taxation system as the traditional sources of making money could not satisfy the Bahamas’s yearly financial needs.
“I presume,” Mr Christie said, “that those people who are advocating (against) are aware of that (as) one of the alternatives.
“When there is a lack of revenue if you are unable to find the sources for it, the people will pay for it. So quite frankly whether it is a no vote it’s going to be a tremendous cost. And with respect to the no vote the state will have to pay for directing resources to assist in setting up a regime to enforce the no vote. That will require a significant sum of money.”
While opponents of legal gaming in the country have criticised successive governments for lazily approaching the country’s debt crisis, those in favour have argued that a majority yes would set in place finances to cut down on the deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars.
It has been projected that the government faces a $550 million insufficiency. It is expected that the government will have to borrow more money when it presents its mid-term budget in a few weeks.
With that Mr Christie said his administration is currently looking at strategies that could help the country’s current financial situation.
“We know it is a very simplistic application that you have to control your cost so therefore you have to control the expenditure and put in place means of ways to do that. So things that you would expect to do you have to cut back on. Secondly you have to continue to close the loopholes that people exploit in revenue.”
Additionally the Prime Minister said he is also trying to seal off agreements that could potentially spark job creation. Last year, unemployment numbers in New Providence reached 14 per cent while 17.3 per cent of Grand Bahamians were without jobs.
“I have not taken a break since the elections, not even for a day because I am trying to get off the drawing board applications that could result in job creation from people who want to do business in the Bahamas. So to the extent that you do not hear new investments, to that extent you know that we are still limping around,” Mr Christie said.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 11 years, 3 months ago
Why is our PM so dishonest? It took me almost three years to get my property tax bill. Here's my suggestion Mr. PM. Clean up the taxes we have now, get them paid in time and in full. Then after accomplishing that we can talk about new taxes. But until then we have no idea what revenues add up to and what we need to do to bolster them.
And the webshops claim to make 100 million per year. A Bahamian business license is based on revenues. So why are they not already paying 5 million a year for their business license? Get them up to date and paying properly, get us our money then let's talk about new taxes.
JohnDoe 11 years, 3 months ago
Mr. PM, if your opinion and belief, as clearly appears to be the case, is that the country will incur irreparable harm from a "No" vote, then as the leader of this country you have an obligation to discontinue the process of this opinion poll and have your government take the requisite Parliamentary action to legalise, regularise and tax the gaming industry or at minimum take a position based on your beliefs. As the PM your duty is to and for the greater good of the country and all of its citizens. These oblique statements about the consequences of a "No vote" that you continue to make are unbecoming of an elected leader.
Shirley 11 years, 3 months ago
And while collecting property taxes, stop allowing your family, friends and lovers to bring in whatever they purchase overseas duty free. Collect traffic fines and stop wasting the court's time. Park the government cars on holidays and weekends. Collect business licence fees or close those businesses down. Make your auntie in the straw market pay her rent. Stop wasting the people's money. There is too much slackness in this country. And by the way Mr. Prime Minister, stop trying to influence what happens on Monday. No horse in the race my foot.
WoodesRodgers 11 years, 3 months ago
This is a bold strong-arm tactic...our PM is a true GANGSTER! He is basically saying, if we vote No he will tax the hell out of us! The leaders in the PLP need to call an emergency meeting and elect a new leader. PGC your are truely a disgrace to the nation and that's coming from someone who once voted for you...disgrace I say. But you keep talking...you are revealing your true self to the Bahamian people-damn SELL OUT!!!
jackbnimble 11 years, 3 months ago
The PM did not do his homework on this one. If he is prepared to use strong-arm tactics on the Bahamian tax payers, as one writer suggests, then I agree that he should strong arm the persons who owe substantial amounts in real property taxes, BEC, NIB and the like. Work with what we have and get that in order first. If we have trouble collecting these taxes, what makes us think that the Numbers Boys will be any different.
John 11 years, 3 months ago
The Pm is protecting one of his major, (MAJOR) benefactors for the next general election. WEB SHOP MONEY NEVR DONE!
concernedcitizen 11 years, 3 months ago
taxes are going up anyway , its the only way we can pay our ever growing civil service ,,we keep making babies faster than any economy can grow and the politicians keep putting them on the goverment payroll for votes ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,we keep taxing and borrowing to satisfy the greedy public unions ,,,we our pricing ourselves out of the tourist market and are no longer competitive ,,,,,,,,,Cuba is doing 3 million stopover visitors a year we are doing 1.35 million stopover ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
hj 11 years, 3 months ago
Even if the webshops are regulated and taxed,the government revenue won't be close enough to get us out of the current financial mess,especially if governments continue to spent money like there is no tomorrow.
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