SIDNEY Collie, Chairman of the Free National Movement (FNM), on Friday decried the attempts by Jerome Fitzgerald to describe the effects of the government granting China Construction America and all sub-contractors exemption from Value-Added Tax on the completion of Baha Mar as “miniscule as far as we were concerned”.
In a statement Mr Collie said: “That is the PLP Government’s statement as to why they have exempted their Chinese allies from the onerous VAT that Bahamians are forced to pay every day. ‘Miniscule amount … neither here nor there’ is how Minister Fitzgerald shrugged off this Government’s secret decision on waving the VAT for the Baha Mar project.”
On Thursday, Mr Fitzgerald said that the “trade off” for waiving VAT payments for the resort’s completion was the $100m put forth by the Export-Import Bank of China to pay former Baha Mar workers and Bahamian creditors the money owed to them after the Cable Beach development collapsed. Mr Fitzgerald was one of the Government’s negotiators for a deal to get the resort re-mobilised.
“Thank you Minister Fitzgerald. By way of explanation you have shown every Bahamian how out of touch the PLP Government is. If the VAT is so ‘miniscule’ then why not waive it for everyone instead of the chosen few? Apparently to the PLP - which has consistently run budget deficits and has mismanaged our economy to the brink of ruin with credit agencies downgrading us to junk bond status - now wants us to believe that millions of dollars in exemptions is ‘miniscule’ and not to be bothered with.
“We are here to tell this tone deaf Government that their sweet heart deal with their Chinese allies and waiving the onerous VAT tax just for them is not insignificant or ‘miniscule’ to the millions of Bahamians that regularly pay the VAT. This is what happens when a Government runs amok and thinks that they are above the people they serve. They cut secret deals, picking winners and losers and get upset when called to account for their actions as the public comes to find out the true extent of their incompetence and ineptitude.
“The Bahamian people deserve a government answerable to them and not just the chosen few. There are no miniscule amounts when dealing with the people’s money, and the FNM will always stand vigilant and safeguard the people’s assets.”
Comments
birdiestrachan 7 years, 3 months ago
He Collie true to form is using this as a polotical foot ball. I hope he knows better. These persons with out vision are much to greedy for power.
goodbyebahamas 7 years, 3 months ago
Birdie, did you even go to grammar school, don't you know there is spell check on your computer? "He Collie", "Polotical", my God, you are pure evidence that Jerome "Gin Nose" Fitzgerald is keeping the Bahamian people uneducated. I actually feel sorry for you today Birdie, your just a clueless uneducated Bahamian that the PLP has been bull$hitting for decades. God be with you Birdie, and may he open your mind, eyes and ears someday so you realize your vote is worth more an a rum bottle and a can of Ham.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 3 months ago
Goodbye Bahamas I did say I was a "D" graded. So what is new.?
goodbyebahamas 7 years, 3 months ago
Sorry to hear that Birdie, it's the government's fault. I won't $hit on you anymore, I'll just ignore anything you have to say and let the other commenters $hit on you. God be with you, and hope he opens your mind, eyes, and ears; a new day for the Bahamas is on the horizon.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 3 months ago
goodbyebahamas I may be a "D" grader as you say..But you must give yourself credit for being a lying machine. you have left the Bahamians according to you. but you will be on the march. They do say that evil spirits are here there and every where.
MonkeeDoo 7 years, 3 months ago
The much bigger question is how the vendors to Baha Mar will invoice them. All prices are now supposed to include VAT. So can they just change the price. Can they invoice other customers also without VAT. The ONLY way for this to be done properly and above board is for the VAT to be charged and paid by CCA and CCA then reclaim it from the Treasury and JBR pay it to the Treasury. How in the world will anyone know if the ten thousand concrete blocks from JBR won't end up at The Pointe. OMG this is so open to abuse it isn't funny. Only this PLP government could be this stupid. Of course JBR would never do it but how many others will invoice cash sales with no VAT and call it Baha Mar. Why doesn't Pinocchio Fitzgerald tell us how the VAT controls will work ? These CHINESE people have to go home. They must be doing something exotic to Perry and the boys to be able to pull this kind of caper.
shonkai 7 years, 3 months ago
Never knew there were "millions of bahamians" paying vat. Apparently i missed the last census.
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