The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Great attorney Andrew Allen has responded to my response to his original proposal for increased Company Tax and new Personal Income Tax...he seems hell bent and strong that this is the better fiscal and financial policy approach... hang in, Mr Allen.

Ask any economist or financial adviser he will confirm in any tax system the tax is paid eventually by the consumer, Attorney Allen - fulI stop. In case of Corporate Business, tax usually, not here, the Corporation can take costs and the eventual tax is levied more fairly on net rather than gross. 100% charged in pricing of merchandise/product.

Personal income tax the same in principle... if you have financing house, vehicle, overdraft, dependents, etc, you have an annual allowance that you claim again Income Tax personal can be PAYE - paid at source or like most subject to an annual declaration taking those listed deductions.

Attorney Allen is diametrically opposite to my thoughts as I think our experience is not conducive to personal taxes which have to be collected after the principle has been paid (the collection is virtually impossible). Even NIB has serious difficulty in keeping up - forget property tax...

Personal income tax on hotel workers who get a minimum wage but they big pay comes in occupancy performance and sales, they share in the gratuity one week to the next a different total... try Attorney Allen collecting that.

There is absolutely no reason to change what we have - but we have to stop avoiding not paying taxes - 20-25% of the more substantive persons who hold the economy-wealth are basically those not paying and it is the obligation of Revenue to go after these people and collect.

I accept Attorney Allen’s position and respect it, but I don’t think, and I don’t think the majority of Bahamians support his theories and financial tax policy.

G MINNIS

Nassau,

January 26, 2022.