Shane Gibson
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Staff Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
LABOUR Minister Shane Gibson yesterday threatened to expose current and former opposition members who have been delinquent in real property tax payments.
Speaking outside the Cabinet office, Mr Gibson said the public will be “shocked” to learn how many politicians were in arrears.
Mr Gibson’s comments follow the Free National Movement’s call for the resignation of VAT consultant Ishmael Lightbourne, who revealed that he had not paid property taxes for ten years.
Mr Gibson charged that tax payment delinquency was a reflection of the country’s economic climate, hitting out at the Opposition over the politicisation of socio-
economic hardships.
Admitting that he had also been delinquent “at one point”, Mr Gibson said: “This is a reflection of what is going on in the country right now, and I just think that persons need to be careful not to try and politicise every single situation.
“We need to look and say that these are real times, these are real people, they are having real difficulties, and there are some obligations that people simply cannot meet.”
“You will be shocked,” he said, “when you look historically at the persons in high positions, current and former in the Bahamas who never paid their real property tax. For me it is a concern because you should pay your taxes particularly when you’re in the government rank, but I think it’s hypocritical.
“When I finish disclosing the details of all of the persons, I’m not going to limit it to persons serving now, it will expand to persons who previously served, who while they served didn’t pay their tax.”
When asked whether or not he would also reveal delinquency among his own party members, Mr Gibson said: “They can disclose ours, I’m going to disclose theirs.
“I myself at one point I was behind, I’m current now,” he said. “I became current some time ago but the point is, look at BEC some people can’t afford to pay their light bill, lights off at home. We’re acting as though the last 10 years were these great years where everyone was able to meet their obligations.
“Everybody knows that these were difficult times over the last couple of years for Bahamians throughout the length and breadth of the Bahamas. People who have run into hard times cannot afford to meet their basic obligations, when they cannot meet their basic obligations you think they could meet real property tax?”
When asked whether or not the argument could be used as the country prepares for the implementation of a new Value Added Tax system, Mr Gibson said: “I’m not getting into VAT right now, we will discuss that when the time comes.”
Mr Gibson said he planned to release the information to the public after he had completed his investigation.
Yesterday, Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson declined to comment on Mr Lightbourne’s matter.
“I don’t wish to comment on Mr Lightbourne’s personal affairs,” she said, “and I want to say in respect to members of parliament, the public disclosure has a lawful remit to deal with all matters involving our financial affairs.”
Calls placed to Allan Benjamin, the Public Disclosure Commission’s chairman, were returned up to press time.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 1 month ago
Shane. You are a moron....
Like I said. I don't care what party your with. If you wanna serve your taxes better be paid....
Lightbourn has to go, on principal alone. Not paying is reason enough to fire him. Not being able to afford $500.00 per year is also reason enough to fire him..... How you could hire someone in finance if they can't afford $500.00 a year? Can't be very good at what they do obviously....
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 1 month ago
These guys who can't pay bills but are yet in power are a bad sign. A man who was also head of a leading firm in the country is an even worse sign. How did he get in that state? What does that say about his money management? Will he end up with some financial oversight of the implemented system? Who will watch him to ensure he doesn't "fall on hard times" again?
The_Oracle 10 years, 1 month ago
Please do, and then they can expose members opposite, which may finally clear the air, but do not stop there: maybe the Bahamas should host a grand expose, instead of waiting for the press to dig out the dirt!
Honestman 10 years, 1 month ago
When asked whether or not he would also reveal delinquency among his own party members, Mr Gibson said: “They can disclose ours, I’m going to disclose theirs.
Is this not the most pathetic political posturing you have ever heard? There is no hope for The Bahamas when this is the attitude of the country's political elite. Bradley Roberts and Shane Gibson would be better just saying nothing over the Ishmael Lightbourne non payment of tax disclosure. You cannot defend the indefensible but these two attempt to do just that and in the process make themselves look foolish and immature.
realfreethinker 10 years, 1 month ago
So who is "OURS" shane talking about. Last time i checked Mr Lightbourne was not an MP. This guy is a real a..hole. He love to shove his foot in his mouth.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 1 month ago
Everyone exposed should find out the lawyer BOB is using to prosecute the Punch. COP, there's a potential crime in progress here.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 1 month ago
...it's the current culture...can I use that as an excuse when the tax man comes at me when I do not pay this years RPT bill? I'll just explain to him nicely that everyone is doing it, even our politicians in power...past and present...so until they are squeaky clean, I'll just hold back on mine for a little while.
Sounds like a plan!!
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 1 month ago
I wonder if we lived in a system similar to the US could Shane survive an IRS audit? Could he justify his wealth? Hmmmm...
EasternGate 10 years, 1 month ago
Another PLP Jackass on steroids. Shane Gibson is a pathetic human being. He is vile, vulgar and mean spirited. Typical PLP material .
hj 10 years, 1 month ago
Congratulations Shane you have done it again. Hypocricy is common among our politicians. So feel free to tell us how many of you guys have not paid your taxes,and don't be shy include all political parties. And while we are on the subject of not paying bills how many of you pay your other bills such as loans,BEC etc?
B_I_D___ 10 years, 1 month ago
Or even Home Owners Association fees...another FUN one they don't like paying.
TalRussell 10 years, 1 month ago
If Shane is right, Papa might as well enjoy his retirement cause Shane has the Mojo done in motion to score yet another majority PLP come 2017. Shane, if he is successful at propelling "tax dodger" Ishmael into an acceptable brand of government worker, with tax paying Bahamalander's, Shane may just yet turn out to be the PLP's own "Marlboro Man" spokesman, who many of us will remember was featured as probably one of the most prominent advertising icons responsible for propelling Marlboro from a niche brand to the world's best-selling cigarette.
ohdrap4 10 years, 1 month ago
Good, Sir. but don't stop there: Name the millionaires who contributed to the plp campaign whose taxes are outstanding.
shortpants 10 years, 1 month ago
Moron.... Gibson don't forget your pa save your sorry ass from going to jail . There is no one to stop that from happening now if you open that can of worms about people taxes start digging your grave fox-hill,,, Papa still here chilling waiting on you'll nasty pathetic, vile, vulgar and mean spirited PLP'S .This PM is lousy as shit how can he let all his morons say whatever they feel like when they feel like . Former PM call him whatever you like he run this country like a PM was suppose to do . You would have to go through him to make your speech it needed to be in the know which is how it suppose to be.
Greentea 10 years, 1 month ago
Sorry short pants- the former PMs "you gotta go through me" attitude wasn't any better than the pathetically weak and compromised one we have now- Two different horses on the same merry go round.
Greentea 10 years, 1 month ago
you posts have increasingly become violent, confrontational and nonsensical. why the cursing? take it down a notch man.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 1 month ago
“I myself at one point I was behind, I’m current now,” he said. “I became current some time ago but the point is, look at BEC some people can’t afford to pay their light bill, lights off at home. We’re acting as though the last 10 years were these great years where everyone was able to meet their obligations.
Every time this man speaks he frightens me. He has just advocated excellent reasons for formal vetting by an independent body of ALL political candidates.
I am sorry but persons in debt (i.e. months behind on their bills), persons with gambling problems, persons with alcohol drug or sex addictions, persons forced to resign for misappropriating funds from their employer, should NEVER be allowed to run for political office. They should never be placed in charge of huge sums of money. They have proven UNWORTHY for small things why is it that in Bahamas these people always show up as board appointees to this or that? Minister of this or that? It's completely baffling. The temptation to "take" to support their unsustainable lifestyle will be too great. These people are ruled by what they see in the Jones' yard. They are also wide open to blackmail
Further if this inability to pay existing taxes is so great how did you come up with VAT as a solution? Who will be able to afford the increased prices? People will either stay away or they will purchase less.
If ministers were taught to live within their means and stop borrowing outrageous sums of money from BOB or NIB, or taking bribes, if they lived on their salary, when they got kicked out of office for foolishness, they wouldn't have a million dollar mortgage to pay off with no job to pay it. They wouldn't have some grand failing business with no customers. They wouldn't have a bunch of sweethearts waiting on their monthly mortgage payment.
There are so many lessons to take from this statement.
Emac 10 years, 1 month ago
Let the church say, amen!
B_I_D___ 10 years, 1 month ago
God will provide!!
Honestman 10 years, 1 month ago
If I understood him correctly, Geoffrey Lloyd in his radio show yesterday had stats claiming that on an annual basis, the Government of The Bahamas collects only 27% of all Taxes due to it!! Can that be correct? If so, why are Bahamians even tolerating the idea of VAT being introduced? Politicians should be run out of town for even suggesting VAT as a possible solution. The answer is clear: EVERY resident and citizen of the Bahamas needs to pay their taxes in full. If everyone does that then the fiscal deficit will disappear and there will be no need to punish the responsible citizens with this punitive consumption tax.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 1 month ago
Yeap...we are MAJOR honest full tax paying citizens...the government gets MILLIONS out of our family and group each and every year in all the various taxes...paid in full...but we are carrying the debt load for all those ducking and dodging...so no...I'm not gonna be adding VAT into my mix so we can let the 'special ones' slide on by,
Reality_Check 10 years, 1 month ago
NOT A ONE OF YOU DIMWITS HAS ASKED WHY PGC AND HAI HAVE BEEN SO QUIET ON THE MATTER OF LIGHTBOURNE AND THE OTHER CRONIES OF POLITICIANS AND POLITICIANS THEMSELVES WHO HAVE NOT PAID THEIR TAXES AND FEES OWING TO PUBLIC TREASURY AND THEIR BILLS OWING TO PUBLIC CORPORATIONS LIKE BEC. MOST CORRUPT POLITICAL PARTIES, LIKE SMELLY FISH, ALWAYS DIE AT THE HEAD FIRST....JUST ASK PGC AND HAI!!!
moncurcool 10 years, 1 month ago
What does Hubert Ingram have to do with this. He is retired. This is an issue of the present government. The big concern is politicians who are speaking and seeking to cover for this criminal act. That should be or extreme concern to us.
Greentea 10 years, 1 month ago
Oh stop it Moncurcool. This is a Bahamas problem and is not specific to one party. Sure this is happening now- but it happened then too. The point is we shouldn't accept this foolishness, now, then or in the future.
moncurcool 10 years, 1 month ago
It may have happened then, but can you go back into time and change it? That is our problem in the Bahamas. We continue to drag up the past about what someone else may have done to use as a lame excuse fir continuing to do the same thing. No wonder politicians take us for fools. The issue at hand is you have a person presently place by the PRESENT government on a position to tout collecting new taxes who has broken the law by failing to pay his taxes. Rather than the PRESENT government dealing with it they are defending him for not paying. Then you have an idiot minister seeking to muddy the issue about digging up past stuff. That is why Hubert Ingram has nothing to do with this. Let us deal with the PRESENT.
GrassRoot 10 years, 1 month ago
The only way to uproot cronyism and corruption is by having the ones that are sitting on the same side of the table on the topic against each other. So Minister Gibson: Well done! You are opening the can of worms. We need a public debate. I believe EVERY CITIZEN, RESIDENT, WORK PERMIT HOLDER that is in arrears with property taxes should be published once a year on a list in the newspapers. Of course. And once we r on it, no on can get a job at government or run for an office if they are in arrears. If you need a little help digesting it: Just consider not paying taxes as raping your country. In this country for rape you go to jail faster than you can say your name.
realfreethinker 10 years, 1 month ago
How can a government employee or a MP owe taxes when their monies come from the same place they owe the monies to. They need to start taking out the taxes they owe before paying them
SP 10 years, 1 month ago
PLP & FNM Parliamentarians have always been the biggest tax dodgers in the county!
Time get rid of all these two faced parasites!
moncurcool 10 years, 1 month ago
Rather than spending time to create meaningful jobs where Bahamians can be empowered as owners of businesses or seek to improve the economy, a minister in the cabinet of the Bahamas, whose salary is being paid by the people of the Bahamas, is going to waste time on the job by doing an investigation into who has not paid taxes in the past (though they may be current) from person who does not support his party. What the hell is this country coming to? g
g
The people of the Ukraine just the other day got together and their protest sent the President out of office. How long are we going to put up with crappy management from these idiots in parliament who profess to lead the government. This is unbelievable!
TalRussell 10 years, 1 month ago
Could be the PM who is the one? Whoever is the someone Comrade who is responsible for keeping the lug nuts from coming all lose on this PLP government ain't doing they job right.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 1 month ago
De higher up de tree he climb....
asiseeit 10 years, 1 month ago
This is a prime example why we need FREEDOM of INFORMATION and why the scum that run this country will not enact it! Demand Freedom of Information! I am a Bahamian first and I know that the red and yellow are both the same, a political class and their cronies that have raped and pillaged for far to long and taken this country into the depths of hell. The only way we can have any semblance of fairness and a level playing field for ALL Bahamians is FREEDOM of INFORMATION.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 1 month ago
Shane probably get more skeletons in his closet than Old Trail Cemetery.... he cant talk on dis issue OR maybe he can
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