The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

OPPOSITION members yesterday criticised Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis' budget communication, calling the contribution "abysmally flat" and void of any understanding of the very same budgetary initiatives presented by Finance Minister K Peter Turnquest earlier this month.

In an ad hoc analysis of Dr Minnis' presentation, Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip "Brave" Davis, Deputy Leader Chester Cooper and Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin all condemned the speech, calling it a poor attempt to justify "unconscionable" tax increases.

The trio insisted the government's strategy to increase the rate of value added tax by 60 percent, while cutting the rates of several other revenue streams, runs contrary to all expert advice.

The group also demanded the government make public all the empirical data used to formulate its position.

For his part, Mr Davis said the communication represented an about-face from many of the campaign promises made by the Free National Movement ahead of the 2017 general election.

The Cat Island MP also insisted Dr Minnis, instead of reassuring the Bahamian people over the growing concerns many of them have over the proposed hikes, opted to use his opportunity yesterday to berate the former administration for its past decisions.

"This is not about the PLP," Mr Davis asserted. "It is about the FNM and Dr Hubert Minnis' lack of ability to govern. It is about the obstinacy and arrogance of this administration not to yield to the voices of reason that is now a crescendo from all aspects of the community."

He added: "There has been no support for what they are doing. This budget oppresses the poor by unconscionably increasing VAT by 60 percent and provided no credible basis for doing so.

"This is borne out by all former ministers of finance who have all cast doubt on the approach of the FNM. The minister of finance has cast aspersions on all former ministers of finance by suggesting that they were all fiscally irresponsible and not transparent."

He also said: "The prime minister's attempt today in the House to justify the unconscionable and massive increase in taxes on the backs of ordinary Bahamians fell abysmally flat.

"It was most unimpressive and lacked a basic grasp of his own budgetary initiatives and what underlying economic principles informed such programmes. It represented a complete about-face from his campaign promises recalling that taxing is the lazy way out.

"This is not the people's budget. This is not the people's time," Mr Davis added.

"The only fact is that the Bahamian people will be taxed more than they can bear. Twelve percent VAT. A discriminatory tax against gaming operators. The fixing of the economy for the rich. His tax increases support giveaways for the rich. No news for Grand Bahama to help them up off the ground and there are heavier burdens for the poor.

"This budget is a colossal betrayal of the Bahamian people, that will lead to a double dip recession," Mr Davis said.

Referencing the former Christie administration's approach to the introduction of VAT, Mr Davis said the party respected the views and advice of stakeholders.

He said once it was recognised that it was no avoiding the need for the tax, the decision was made to get as many voices into the discussion as possible.

Mr Davis insisted the PLP "got it right" - 7.5 percent with no exceptions.

He said the party did not act as an "obstacle" to those wanting to offer their advice.

"We listened," he said.

He warned the FNM that its "experiment" was disrupting the "comfort zone" Bahamians are now in with VAT.

The PLP trio also scoffed at Dr Minnis' insistence that those opposing his government's budget are against national development and advancement.

The group asserted that the pressure to sell the public on his budget has made the prime minister weary, insisting that his assertions were directed at those in his party that have publicly rejected the VAT increase.

Saying they did not want to speak on the internal friction of the FNM, the trio said the push-back is due in large part to the lack of consultation on the budget.

The PLP again implored the Minnis administration to "stop being lazy," insisting that there were many ways to secure the revenue needed without higher taxes.

In addition to the VAT increase, the government plans to introduce a new sliding tax scale for gaming houses, both set to take effect on July 1.