Submitted by St. George’s Dragon
Barbados Today (25 May 2012) reports that a decision has been made to retain VAT at its current rate of 17.5% “until future notice”. Previously we had been promised that it would be reviewed about now. The Advocate picked the story up on its front page on 27 May 2012.
It appears that the rumour is true as the Parliament Order Paper for Tuesday shows Chris Sinckler moving a resolution on the First Reading of the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill 2012 which keeps the current rates from 1st June “until further notice”.
Unless I have missed it, and I hope I have, no Government Minister has had the good grace to tell the voters about their decision. Do they think we won’t notice?
With elections looming, the Government has just blundered again. A good information strategy and a carefully crafted set of announcements would have allowed the Government to at least have some chance of being seen as good custodians of the Country’s finances. Instead we are left with the impression that they don’t care.
Incidentally, the Order Paper also shows that the Government is about to compulsorily purchase Sam Lord’s Castle. While this is not new news, it would have been nice to have known that something was happening.
The Government needs to sort out its communication strategy and soon, otherwise Owen Arthur will be keeping the Prime Minister’s chair warm again.
Leave a Reply to The scoutCancel reply