The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Dear Bahamian Businessperson,

You are now owned by an un-elected organisation called the Department of Inland Revenue.

You have become unwitting employees of this organisation under mandate of law.

You are now required to work as tax collectors, with no pay, hire expensive lawyers and accountants, doing the work for government.

You are required to spend your time and money gathering documents that have no bearing on your running a business.

You will be asked to submit a Letter of Good Standing from NIB, which may take months for you to receive. Even though, with the stroke of a keyboard, this information could be had immediately by any government agency.

You will be asked for a Police Letter. Get real.

Your life is subject to the whims of the Department of Inland Revenue, be it gathering more and more documents, or spending more of your time doing things which seem, and are, pointless.

The Department of Inland Revenue collects hundreds of millions of dollars annually; all money which your initiatives and hard work helped this country produce. The Department of Inland Revenue has, without any doubt, made it increasingly more difficult to do business in this country. Needlessly made it more difficult it should be added. We are not more efficient. If you have questions, or need assistance from the Department of Inland Revenue, be very patient.

Only rarely, or by mistake, does the Department of Inland Revenue answer their phone. If you are lucky enough to get through, you will be put on hold, and passed around until the phone disconnects. If you email, you may or may not get a response. Maybe they say you will, but let your experience be the judge.

If your business license is not current and posted your business can be shut down. You can be fined heavily and pay late fees, even though it was the Department of Inland Revenue which took forever to deal with your particular issue. The Department of Inland Revenue appears to be grossly understaffed, very unorganised and completely unaccountable for how they treat the business owners and citizens of this country. They appear to have thoroughly failed to anticipate how our country would be affected by their shortcomings.

The entire process, from applying for a business license, and getting the required documents seemed to be by the seat-of-the-pants, and was brought to a snail’s pace by the onerous burden placed on you by the Department of Inland Revenue and their entire lack of public information they provided in leading up to these vast changes.

Why can’t we fine the Department of Inland Revenue for their theft of our time and money, and the poor way in which they are treating Bahamians?

Some say we are being held hostage by this un-elected body. I say, call it what it is. We are now slaves. Slaves owned by people who are unaccountable to us. We pay their salaries and provide them with good jobs, but they have absolutely no concern for you, your time, your property, or your ability to do business and earn a living.

If there is a country in the world deserving of swift and complete regime change, it is The Bahamas.

What seems abundantly clear is that there is not the least bit of concern by the government of The Bahamas for it’s citizens wishes, the people’s ability to earn a living, or the basic ideas of civic freedom. The government of The Bahamas has shown time and again that it has no appreciation for democracy. Therefore, they are an illegitimate body using coercion and force to control the citizens of this country. Since 1973, can anyone see the true progress for the citizens of The Bahamas? The only difference is we have darker hued masters who are utterly egotistical and think they , should decide the fate of the Bahamian people.

Am I wrong?

IN A SORRY STATE

Nassau,

September 26, 2016.