The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The recent revelations that Mr Ishmael Lightbourne, the government’s chief VAT advocate has not paid property tax for over 10 years and owes more than $100,000, combined with comments from Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller implying he is also an offender has set off alarm bells throughout this country.

The premise of any democracy is that politicians are elected by the people to work for the people. It is an established principle, both implied and assumed that politicians must lead from the top and their personal behaviour should reflect this. Governments collect revenues from numerous sources, chief of which is taxes, and use that money to pay salaries of its employees, undertake capital projects and maintain the systems and infrastructure of a country. Now it has come to light that the politicians are not paying their taxes, but asking the people to pay taxes for politician’s salaries, etc. This raises the issue of morality, theft and the right to tax people.

Morality is defined as “character, proper behaviour, synonymous with goodness”. It follows the Golden Rule, “One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself”. “Immoral,” is the opposite and “amoral” is the absence or indifference to morality. Theft is defined as “a person who steals another person’s property (such as money), especially by stealth.” Don’t these two definitions ring true in this current situation? How can politicians of this government attempt to tax its people more when they themselves don’t pay their share of taxes? They are smart people and know better. Mr Lightbourne is an accountant, so who better to know how to manage his financial affairs? If he fell on hard times financially, that might occur for a year or so, but not 10 to 20 years. He does own valuable properties.

What about Mr Miller’s comments? On the front page of The Guardian, Mr. Miller is quoted as saying that the PM should lead this country by implementing the VAT without consensus and “… just do it, and if they don’t like it, tough. And just say why you did it, you know; I did it because we need the funds to pay the bills the government has incurred on behalf of the Bahamian people. You don’t like it, go move someplace else.” Wow!

Then, on page 3 of the same paper, Mr Miller is quoted as saying: “No one has the right to know what you or anyone else in this country pay or do not pay (in taxes). That’s between the relevant government agencies and the individual. I don’t know how it becomes a topic. I guess some of them are in a better financial position than others, but it’s irrelevant to what the government needs to collect funding to enable the government to run the business of the people in a proper and forthright manner.”

Is there something wrong with this man? Does he listen to what he says? In his first breath, he tells the PM to implement VAT and tough on those who don’t like it because the government needs the money, then he says that politicians (he included) who don’t pay their taxes are irrelevant to what the government needs to fund the government. Yikes! What he is really saying is that the government wants your money to run government, not money from the politicians who owe $millions in taxes! That last part should be kept hush hush.

In my opinion, it brings us back to the definition of “theft”. Are politicians stealing the people’s money by stealth to pay themselves a salary and other benefits? Mr Miller is big on the “stealth” part. Is that why he doesn’t want people to know some politicians are not paying their taxes, or paying taxes on properties with bogus valuations? Remember that word “morality”? Mr Miller, and likely, other politicians in his party are not behaving properly. They are not living by the Golden Rule, but rather by the rule that says; “Do as I say, not as I do”. Give me your money and I will keep mine, thank you very much… How do you like me so far?

What should be done? This is a very good question, but not easy to answer. First choice would be to elect a different government. Unfortunately, this cannot happen in the next few years. Next would be to demonstrate and demand transparency on all affairs of government and those who work in government. Not likely to result in anything but politicians blabbing about trying out lame defences to their blameworthy behaviours. Another course of action would be a country-wide strike on paying any fees, taxes or levies to government. This would eventually get the government’s attention, but could also wreak financial ruin on the country.

So what is the conclusion? For one, there is not a lot of power in the hands of the people and the government knows this. The power of the people gains in strength when an election comes around and all Bahamians must use this power wisely.

No more believing the crap that spews from the mouths of politicians who make promises no one believes they will keep. DO NOT elect a politician who has proven themselves to be immoral or amoral. Find new faces, straight faces, people you can trust, people who have something to lose by behaving badly and something to gain by behaving morally.

People who work for the people and who truly want what is best for this country, not what is best for themselves personally. Politicians of this kind are hard to find, but if the people demand it and yell loud enough, those few good people will come forward. When they do, seize the day and let them lead.

Key signs to look for in a politician who is worthy of your support is a politician who wants transparency in both government and their personal affairs. A politician who will divulge the bad news without it being discovered by an adversary first. Someone who owns up to their mistakes and takes meaningful steps to correct them.

A politician who will make the unpopular changes that are needed even if it means going against special interest groups and their own personal gain. A politician who enforces the will of the people, not one who holds a referendum on web shops and then doesn’t shut them down when that is the clear will of the people. A politician who has not already been in power and proven themselves to be part of the problem. Now go forth all Ye Bahamians and get new leadership.

If Bahamians elect another government like this one which drives the economy into the ground, they have no one else to blame but themselves.

CONCERNED

March 1, 2014