At 3.53 of the video Prime Minister Freundel Stuart hints at the next BIG change which is being considered by government. He shared with the public that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has submitted a review our tax system in response to a request from government. In short there is a view government should tax Barbadians and use the revenue to support government programs. The idea of giving tax benefits through allowances and exemptions to Barbadians maybe on its last legs.
What the muni tax has shown us is that Barbadians are a reactive people. The tax was promised several months ago and as the Prime Minister rightly stated in the video, we have waited until the invoice landed in the mailbox to express concern. It is the same reaction to Massy signs which have dotted the Bajan landscape in recent days. It is the same Bajans who sold a significant chunk of our shares to EMERA and BNB and to Republic Bank and wondered about the decision long after the ink dried.
The government was elected to manage the affairs of the country. The citizens have the right to demand transparency and to hold elected officials accountable, it is our right to protest within the four walls of the law. To expect 16 individuals selected from among us are possessed with all conquering knowledge that others should only passively observe is the height of stupidity of the yardfowl variety.
We have to live with change, who is denying, the government must always feel obligated to share information with the public which will assist us to understand policies before implementation. A government cannot contemplate to dismantle our tax system and treat it as a routine transaction. A word to the wise is sufficient.
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