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Submitted by Frank Forde

barbados_revenue_authorityIn this our 50th year of independence, I am aware that blacks and other ethnic groups especially the whites made a contribution to the country. The question is, who made the greater contribution and if one follows the history of Barbados, one can clearly see that without labour and capital, Barbados would not be at the level of development as it is today.

Both blacks and ethnic groups contributed to the development of Barbados; the blacks contributed labour whilst the whites contributed labour and capital. In addition to the capital, the whites made a significant contribution to tax revenue.

Now if I were to follow the history of direct taxation in Barbados starting from the Income Tax Act,1921, the major portion of the taxation was provided by those persons who were in receipt of income above the tax threshold and these were known in the Inland Revenue Department as “CAPTIODs.” C stands for companies, A for persons engaged in agriculture, P for professionals, T for traders, I for investors, O for others who did not fall into the above categories and D for divided which were mainly partnerships. Tax rates were high as well as income and this revenue assisted the government of the day to provide free health care, education and other services.

In the eighties, when it was recognised that agriculture was declining and the tourist industry which was now the major industry could not provide the revenue that the agriculture sector provided, due to the concessions given to that industry, Barbados had to look for other sources of revenue and it turned to the offshore sector. At that time, Barbados went into it half heartily as there was resistance from various sectors and groups who felt that Barbados did not need foreign investment and that it could make it without such investment. Remember St. George’s University and “cadavers.” Now we are begging such universities and other businesses to locate here and today a large percentage of the population still believes that Barbados does not need such investment. Legislation enacted to encourage both foreign and local investment contained too many restrictions/ conditions that restricted some investments. This was done to protect the so called small man, who remained small despite all the incentives that were given to that sector. Numerous countries which were underdeveloped and encouraged foreign investments have surpassed Barbados in developing their export industries and as a result provided substantial employment for their citizens.

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72 responses to “A Tax Plan”

  1. Hopi Avatar
    Hopi

    The question is who made the GREATER contribution? Blacks contributed labour whilst whites contributed labour AND capital and in addition to capital whites made a significant contribution to tax revenue..THEREFORE one is compelled to conclude that of all the ethnic groups in Barbados whites made the GREATEST contribution.

    Can we start at the beginning? Where did these whites get this capital? Weren’t the Black slaves overworked and NEVER paid or if ever paid, underpaid while the whites collected the fruits of their labour…..hence the accumulation of ‘theft’ capital?

    Who brought about the decline of the agricultural sector? Who threw away the sugar industry?

    How about removing these huge tax concessions from those Corps/Business that can definitely afford to pay?

    Which taxpayers have not supplied the requested information…Blacks or Whites?

  2. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Thank you very much Hopi! That should flush the shiite down the toilet. No need for us to play with Frank Forde’s shiite! Let’s avoid sticking around for that stench.

  3. Watchman Avatar
    Watchman

    Frank spent years at IR , old age got the man , he still drives to town on morning like he going to work

  4. David Avatar
    David

    @Watchman

    What about the submission you disagree with?

  5. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    David,

    Are you REALLY encouraging somebody to discuss this shiite? When a man begins by saying that – “especially the whites made a contribution to the country” you are encouraging us to DISCUSSION????!!!! David, shiite is meant to be flushed before the full stench assails the nostrils. Hopi flushed it. You want to examine floaters?

    FLUSH!

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @Donna

    Are you saying Whites did not help to build the country?

    Are you saying his point about building a more efficient tax system is not a relevant discussion?

    Must we flush the good and the bad?

    Where is the good in such an approach?

    Was Samuel Jackman Prescod a White man?

    On Sat, Jun 18, 2016 at 2:30 PM, Barbados Underground wrote:

    >

  7. Bernard Codrington. Avatar
    Bernard Codrington.

    This article is one of those comments that engage in partial analysis and is mainly the root cause of the economic morass in which we now find ourselves . Taxation is not a racial issue , nor a class issue. All races and all classes have been paying taxes . Income and corporation tax is not the only form of taxation. Indirect taxes contribute to GOB revenues as well. It would have been useful to compare the relative shares of Direct taxes to indirect taxes. The bulk of the indirect taxes fell on the low income groups,pensioners and the poor, who do not own businesses or work for high incomes. Indirect taxes are regressive. VAT is an Indirect tax. It is a tax on spending and very often hits the low income groups hardest.
    The introduction of foreign investment is a red herring that only seeks to confuse the issue. Except where the concessions of no import duties reduces the ability of GOB to pay for health and education which are important human capital investments ,which drives future economic growth and income and tax revenues. The article is seeking to solve a short term problem and ignores the long-term economic sustainability of Barbados.

  8. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    David,

    One would have thought that after my many posts on BU you would not pose such simplistic black and white questions to me.

    But the beginning of this article starts by proclaiming the rest of the article unworthy of consideration.

    Thankfully I have not yet reached the stage where I have to pick pee outta shit!

    So….. flush floaters, flush!

  9. David Avatar
    David

    @Donna

    Nuggets of truth can often be found in the most unlikely places. The strength of the author is his work in tax management. Why allow yourself to be distracted by the fluff?

  10. Watchman Avatar
    Watchman

    @ David

    Frank started his submission by saying, the Whites contributions were significant and blacks contributions were only labour , Frank may as well say that the whites own Barbados, since the black were also a form of the whites capital,

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @Watchman

    What about the stuff he wrote about our tax system?

  12. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    David,

    Well, you can pick through the shit then. My stomach is not so strong. I am not about tinkering in tax reform. I want a revolution in thinking. Do you think a house nigga capable of that?

  13. David Avatar
    David

    David,

    Well, you can pick through the shit then. My stomach is not so strong. I am not about tinkering in tax reform. I want a revolution in thinking. Do you think a house nigga capable of that?

    Sometimes it is because you disagree with a position it provokes a constructive response.

  14. TheGazer Avatar
    TheGazer

    I was hoping that Hopi’s and Donna’s summary of the article was adequate. It was my intention not to comment on this but I have been dragged in. The second paragraph which states that black only contributed labor and the ‘whites’ contributed labor, capital and significant tax revenue tells me the blogger has blacks still on the plantation.

    With the passage of a 150+ years a few of us may have managed to have contribut capital and pay taxes.

    Did not get past paragraph 2…..

  15. chad99999 Avatar
    chad99999

    While you all are arguing about who has been paying taxes in Barbados, the largest newspaper in Canada, the Toronto Star, is continuing its campaign to force a revision of the tax treaty between Canada and Barbados that was originally signed in 1980. Big story in today’s edition on this subject. More trouble ahead.

  16. Watchman Avatar
    Watchman

    @ David

    I trying to pick at the stuff about the Tax System,

    @The Gazer

    Frank Ford grand Mother was a Red that pass as Bajan white, Frank live in the same house that he born in

  17. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    The missing piece of the puzzle.

  18. Watchman Avatar
    Watchman

    Frank Forde should say what prompt him to write this submission to now , is it some kind of Baloney

  19. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    This is a perfect example of how BU bloggers operate.
    The racial contexts used early added NOTHING to the article, which could have begun at the breakdown of taxes paid by income bracket.
    He fails to address tax ‘leakage’, both personal and corporate. Given the drastic drop in corporate taxes collected this needs analysis.
    And yes governments are moving to VAT type taxes [consumption taxes] largely because they CAN collect them, and yes, they sting the lower income earners relatively more.
    Income taxation is a broken system. It needs scrapping and re-inventing.

  20. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Donna June 18, 2016 at 10:30 AM #

    “Are you REALLY encouraging somebody to discuss this shiite? When a man begins by saying that – “especially the whites made a contribution to the country” you are encouraging us to DISCUSSION????!!!!”

    @ Donna

    I usually agree with you, however, on this occasion, I have to disagree with your above comments and assessment of the article.

    Forde wrote: “In this our 50th year of independence, I am aware that blacks and OTHER ethnic groups especially the whites made a contribution to the country.”

    According to “Wikipedia,” an ethnic group is basically “a community or population made up of people who share a common cultural background or descent.”

    If we were to examine the phrase: “OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS,” you would realize that, within a Barbadian context, this particular group would comprise of the East Indians (Indians/Pakistanis), Arabs (Syrian, Lebanese, etc.), “coolie men,” whites and people from various countries that have made Barbados their home.

    I interpreted Forde’s mentioning of “especially whites” was to simply emphasize that, of the ethnic groups, the whites, in particular, made a contribution to Barbados.

  21. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Artax
    Bushie regrets that you have so eloquently put that aspect of the author’s paper into perspective, thus reversing the initial instinct to dismiss it on the grounds that it was a lotta racist piss.

    Now, regretfully, Bushie will have to engage those of your economic ilk on the basis of the author’s fundamental point that:

    ==================================
    “I am therefore convinced and support the opinion of leading experts that
    Caribbean countries must encourage foreign investment in order to reduce their
    fiscal deficits and repay their debts. Just like in the eighties when the offshore
    sector assisted us greatly with our fiscal deficit, we must depend on foreign

    investment that provides tax revenue.”

    Now THIS is the real shiite dripping from this paper. Clearly this man Forde went to the same school as yourself and your mentor Owen S…

    In short, what he is saying is that “in order to continue spending more than we are earning, he is convinced that Caribbean countries must encourage and depend on strangers to bring them money to offset this deficit.

    Now unless these strangers are blasted crooks looking to launder money, they will be looking for some kind of personal gratification in return for their hard cash…ent it?

    And you DO know what that business is called …Right?

    This man Forde (along with Owen, you, and others,) have openly called for Barbados to become a whore in order to survive….and wunna have been able to implement the dastardly plan too.
    It was too sweet at first nuh??!!

    Every idiot (including AC and Alvin) knows that hoes appear to be successful in their early years. Shiite!!! some even do pretty well into their forties….

    Do you know of any successful FIFTY-YEAR-OLD ones….?

  22. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Bush Tea June 19, 2016 at 10:55 AM #

    “Clearly this man Forde went to the same school as yourself and your mentor Owen S…”

    I would have preferred if you had mentioned Dr. Don Marshall or Dr. Philmore Alleyne as my “mentor.”

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    “This man Forde (along with Owen, you, and others,) have openly called for Barbados to become a whore in order to survive….and wunna have been able to implement the dastardly plan too.”

    Perhaps you would care to present to BU, excerpts from any of my contributions in which I “openly called for Barbados to become a whore in order to survive….”

    It is interesting to note that you are “eloquently” critical of other bloggers’ contributions. You should have “tested the waters” by “postfacing” your contribution with alternative suggestions on how Barbados could reduce its deficit and earn foreign exchange, thereby providing an opportunity for the BU audience to DISCUSS YOUR IDEAS.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    Given the size of our debt, the level of servicing required and at the same time engage in developmental work where are the inflows of revenue/investment to come from?

  24. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Artax,

    Did you also read the second paragraph which states that blacks contributed labour whilst whites contributed labour and capital and tax revenue? I forgot his question in the first paragraph- who made the greater contribution!

    I stopped reading after the second paragraph. If you can tell me that he is going somewhere other than where I think he is, I’ll read the rest. But if he is, then that’s MIGHTY POOR WRITING! The beginning introduces your train of thought or it should.

  25. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    One cannot be seen as making a contribution to the country when one wrings labour out of people one has never paid for and hangs on to the capital it produced, handing over a small percentage to the treasury whilst continuing to enrich one’s selves off the labour of descendants of the original forced labour.

    You were right about the English of the first part, though. The rest of the paragraph made me miss that.

    You and Bushie can continue to discuss his substantive argument. I still believe him to have started too far wrong to ever be right. His perspective is flawed.

  26. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    LOL @ Artax
    I would have preferred if you had mentioned Dr. Don Marshall or Dr. Philmore Alleyne as my “mentor.”
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Boss, those are your ‘economic ilk’, along with Dr Frank, Dr Howard etc.

    …and why ask Bushie to state the obvious by “postfacing” his contribution with alternative suggestions on how Barbados could reduce its deficit”.

    You DONE KNOW that “by the sweat of a man’s brow should he eat bread”. Any two-bit housewife on minimum wages; with 4 kids; .. and no effective father, can tell you how it works.

    WRITE THIS DOWN, IT IS NOT TAUGHT AT UWI.. It is called “Living within your damn means.”

    In your case, it says that the aim of life is NOT to find some means of paying for your fancy SUV, …BUT that you must find some PRODUCTIVE area where you can EARN the right to own and drive such a vehicle.

    In Barbados’s case, it means that we DO NOT have any rights to ‘champagne taste’ while producing at the level of mauby pockets.

    ANY ‘experts’ who seek to suggest that we have a ‘RIGHT’ to eat bread – and that strangers should be expected to bring us money to buy that bread ….is a jackass on the way to enslavement….along with those who follow their idiocy.

    ….surely, this is all obvious…???!!

  27. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Donna June 19, 2016 at 12:18 PM #

    I stopped reading after the second paragraph as well and have to agree with you that it’s “MIGHTY POOR WRITING.”

  28. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Wait Artax …..
    Nothing to say about living within our means?

    Would that mean your having to give up the SUV?
    LOL
    ha ha ha

  29. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    I wonder why it is so important to the scribers on BU to disown their european tribal linkage and by extension picking a quarrel where none exists as to who made a greater contribution to the economy of Bim……mullatoes all.

  30. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Living within our means is the only way to go. Necessities first. Recreation and leisure that costs us little to nothing. (Ask the old people what that is.) An occasional luxury/treat. We need a change in our attitudes and expectations. The older I get the more I realize that. A real leader would get us to understand that but he/she would have to lead by example and cannot be seen as living too far above the people. Soooooo…….

  31. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Bush Tea June 19, 2016 at 5:35 PM #

    “WRITE THIS DOWN, IT IS NOT TAUGHT AT UWI.. It is called “Living within your damn means.”

    “In your case, it says that the aim of life is NOT to find some means of paying for your fancy SUV, …BUT that you must find some PRODUCTIVE area where you can EARN the right to own and drive such a vehicle.”

    @ Bushie

    I agree with “Living within your damn means.” However, it seems you have purposely forgotten to explain how would “Living within your damn means” reduce the deficit and earn foreign exchange for Barbados.

    Okay, I decide to “live within my means” and rather than purchasing a Suzuki Swift or one of the popular “reconditioned” vehicles, I decide to catch the Transport Board bus to and from work. Unfortunately, the bus is either seldom on time or there is no service, which results in me arriving at work late almost every morning. The boss man becomes fed up of hearing my usual “I en get nuh bus” excuse and terminates my services, to hire someone who decided to “live without their means” to purchase a Suzuki Swift.

    In reality, this scenario, along with the lack of water, etc occurs every day resulting in the loss of productive hours, which eventually has a significant negative effect on productivity.

    How would “Living within your damn means” pay for items such as medicines, Transport Board bus parts, or other government supplies, which must be imported because they are not produced in Barbados, for which we must have foreign exchange?

    By the way, “living within my means” and “by the sweat of my brow” have given me the opportunity to afford purchasing my fancy SUV without any assistance from a bank or finance company. LOL, hahahahaha!!!!

  32. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Artax
    The same way you purchased your fancy SUV “without any assistance from a bank or finance company” is how Barbados needs to purchase its medicines and bus parts etc.
    The same way you recognise that going to the finance companies and banks will compromise your independence and place strangers in position to dictate your life, Barbados needs to avoid borrowing to the extent where outsiders can dictate our future.

    How come you did not accept a gift of a SUV from some wealthy benefactor? ….were you afraid that it would come back to bite you in the behind? ….then why advocate that Barbados lobby for rich strangers to bring us expensive ‘investments’? Do you think that THEY are altruistic?

    The RIGHT way, as you well know, … is to work hard, save, be thrifty, co-operate CO-OPERATIVELY with those of common mind, and to manage our budgets well.
    The lotta economics shiite theories promoted by your UWI mentors (who, by the way are all poor as shiite) are based on an albino-centric attitude of entitlement that can generally only be supported by exploiting others, …or by prostituting oneself.

    By the way … where did you get that analogy about lack of water etc? …from Simple Simon?
    Dat is a lotta shiite Boss!!!
    LOL
    ha ha ha

  33. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    The challenge we need to factor is the current state of the economy, how do we ease our hand from the lion’s mouth and at the same time reset.

  34. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    David,

    Well put. That is the challenge. But the first step is to start living within our means now. Then we will be able to better service our debt. We also need to reduce our need for foreign exchange by producing more of our own food and switching from fossil fuels to alternative energy eventually.

    Simple housewife solutions. The “big-brained men” can take over from here because I don’t believe in skipping to step four before we have taken steps one, two and three.

    The “big-brained men” can continue to ignore whom they feel is another “Simple Simon” and believe I know nothing about economics.

  35. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Donna June 20, 2016 at 8:59 AM #

    “We also need to reduce our need for foreign exchange by producing more of our own food and switching from fossil fuels to alternative energy eventually.”

    @ Donna

    Let me start by saying I AGREE with your above comments.

    However, it is easy for us to say we need to “produce more of our own food,” but the REALITY of the situation is many young people are not interested in agriculture because they associate it with slavery. And to add “insult to injury,” since many of the plantations are owned by white people, the thought of working in this area fills them with abhorrence.

    How many of those individuals who are advocating for agriculture would explain its benefits to their children and encourage them to pursue a career in agriculture, especially if that child went to HC, QC, Combermere or St. Michael’s?

    A friend of mine told me her daughter, who is about 31 years old, refuses to cook because she does not want to be “old fashioned” like her mother and there are many fast food restaurants in Barbados, which gives her another reason not to cook. Similarly to her, many younger folk are of the opinion that it is faster and more convenient to buy food than to go through the burdensome task of preparing and cooking a meal.

    These are the types of attitudes we NEED to CHANGE. Morals, virtues, manners or discipline cannot be legislated.

  36. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Artax,

    Exactly! We start with the younger people. That’s what I did up until yesterday at my shiite church. These are the things we discussed. The lesson provided for my use was unused until the end when I looked at it and found I wasn’t far off anyway. By the end of the lesson they were agreeing with me on what has to be done. Will they do it? That’s not up to me. My job is to connect the dots.

  37. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    Artax June 20, 2016 at 9:52 AM #
    Donna June 20, 2016 at 8:59 AM #

    “However, it is easy for us to say we need to “produce more of our own food,” but the REALITY of the situation is many young people are not interested in agriculture because they associate it with slavery…………………”

    OR – many young people are not interested in agriculture because they associate it with hard work.

  38. David Avatar
    David

    Explain how change will occur with the younger group if the older group is responsible for promoting the change?

    The big nut to crack also is how did we attract a nucleus of Bajans to drive the change uninfluenced by partisan political bullshit.

  39. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    how do we ease our hand from the lion’s mouth and at the same time reset.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Let’s face it…
    Sometimes it may be better to just let the damn lion eat you …. after all lions gotta eat, and some of us may well serve no better purpose.

    Contrary to popular beliefs, life is hard, and then you die. Life is an uncompromising arrangement. When fools make mistakes in the REAL world, they pay a serious price, this is why wise parents can be sometimes uncompromising in disciplining silly young offspring who are ignorant of these realities.

    Since the end of the last world war, we have been living in a false reality that was created by some REALLY interesting occurrences….ranging from the cold war, the use of nuclear weapons against cities, unprecedented advances in technology (driven by the war) and the emergence of a group of world leaders who were shaped by the horrors of the war.

    As a direct result, there are many of us who grew up during this period, who are living with a false sense of security and indeed, of entitlement. There are many people who believe that they have some RIGHT to a certain kind of life – of luxury, and security, and justice, .. without any sacrifices on their part.
    Such persons are due for a very rude shock ….and very shortly too…
    People such as those that Artax highlights – who ‘don’t like to cook’; who ‘don’t do agriculture – because of slavery; who must have transport at their convenience; who need to have the luxuries of life….

    They will find that, rather than easing their hands out, it may be better to put the rest of their bodies into the lion’s mouth…. and get it over with, cause the alternative may well be beyond their reach now….

    Lotta shiite!!!
    Lotta weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth…..

  40. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Donna June 20, 2016 at 10:00 AM
    “But the first step is to start living within our means now. Then we will be able to better service our debt. We also need to reduce our need for foreign exchange by producing more of our own food and switching from fossil fuels to alternative energy eventually..”

    You put rather mildly as if there is an option for Barbados.
    Can’t you see the inexorable downward slide in the country’s foreign reserves?

    With the looming threat of starvation, as is taking place in Venezuela, do you think young so-called educated Bajans would rather continue to suck imported salt or would they go back to the land to grow their own food?

    Barbados is no Ethiopia or Sudan or even Venezuela with its largest oil reserves in the World.
    Don’t expect International donors to provide food aid when thousands of acres of former arable land is left in bush.

  41. Topcat Avatar
    Topcat

    I wonder if my colleague understands what is meant by tax holiday. Frank I know you don’t like indirect taxes but they provides the bulk of government’s revenue. The so call lowly paid person are the ones who subscribes largely to this revenue. In fact Frankie boy you have the bull by the horn because it is the blacks that built this little rock that the few withes enjoys freely. Yes I say freely because they get all sorts of concessions that eliminate any taxes they pay. Look at the situation with the canes, you are aware that they are being paid to plant canes? Madness! The same shit exist in respect of the tourist industry. The taxes the poor pay are used to repair their hotels! I work with you and I know that you see everything backward so I forgive you buddy!!

  42. Topcat Avatar
    Topcat

    Oh Frankie I forget to expand on the tax holiday bit, you see we don’t really get much from those offshore companies because of the tax holidays. In other words they operate tax free for a period of about ten years. As soon as the period is over they up and leave. You know this too Frankie so stop bulling around. We are in this mess because Arthur put all his eggs in the service industry basket. He killed off our agriculture and manufacturing industries because he was enjoying the legalize money laundering industry know as offshore banking. You saw what happen when the plug was pulled. Now you are advocating that we go back to that? Boy you are so stupid I wouldn’t even buse you!!

  43. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Miller,

    If I spoke too passionately I would be dismissed as being an emotional, illogical woman. I know how dire the situation is. Unfortunately mankind does not act until forced to and it is often too late for some. I truly believe that we will have to hit rock bottom before we get up off our behinds. Long time I’ve been saying that a real earthshattering quake would shake some sense into us or a real hurricane would blow some sense our way. Maybe if everything was flattened we would rebuild it gradually in the right way. Is that strong enough for you?

  44. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Artax,

    The government has control of many plantations also. And we can also grow in our backyards to supplement. The shiite Anglican Church also has lots of arable land which youth groups could be encouraged to work. The 4-H programme is also making a resurgence. They are ways to make farming seem exciting if we are a little creative. How about a Crop Over agricultural link?

    If the authorities keep up with the praedial larceny prosecution more farmers would be successful. Many farmers would discourage their children from pursuing farming because they don’t see it as being viable.

  45. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    A work up and wuk up programme.

  46. Frank Forde Avatar
    Frank Forde

    The truth matters and it hurts.
    What I am trying to do is to explain to the public that we as a people that we know our situation and must put our heads together to remedied it. In preparing the paper and examining the 2007 table, I found that Barbados has a major problem in that its social commitment is too much for the country to bear and something must be done urgently to overcome any problems in the future. what is at stake is that Barbados must provide for these people.
    As the saying goes, all hands must be on deck, so if we continue with the same divisions in our society we are not going to make much progress. Although Barbados is a christian country it appears that it leaves out one of the principles which is forgiveness.
    I have read the comments submitted and I have no problems with the comments. I love criticism because it helps me to understand the thinking of those individuals.
    Some of the comments made dealt with foreign investment and agriculture.
    One of my critics called Topcat stated that he is a colleague of mine and he is of the opinion that I don’t understand what is meant by tax holidays and also that I don’t like indirect taxes.If he is a former colleague of mine, then he does not know me.
    Tax holidays are given to entities that bring jobs to Barbados. It is not a revenue earner. Remember INTEL Now if those are saying that our people should forget foreign investment that provides jobs and concentrate on farming, then why are spending millions of dollars educating our people at secondary schools and the UWI. Those who are of this opinion have the same opinion as some people in the UK in the fifties and sixties, who were of the opinion that the problems in the colonies were partly due to educating the people in Africa beyond the third standard level and they did not want to work in agriculture. If those who want to support those British people it is their opinion.

  47. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Butch Stewart came to Barbados and got 40 years of tax free operations.He even bring Jamaican rum to serve instead of good olde Mount Gay,one of the best.Now Barbados is in crisis partly because of poor management skills into the Ministries of Finance,Economic Planning,Economic Development,Tourism Development and the Office of Prime Minister.Facts are facts.Giving Butch Stewart 40 years of tax freeness is pure unadulterated madness.Result is Services have to be reduced so first casualty was UWI and state supported tertiary education.Bham,just so the youth take a massive hit.The future leaders of Barbados got taken down just so!Next on the list is the Environment.Garbage all over the place except where it should all be; outside the home of Mr Corruption himself.Next on the list is the QEH.Soon from now the Minister of Health will roll out the many changes coming and which will affect the services citizens were accustomed to at state expense,taxpayer funded.Transport Board taking a big hit,roads and highways in advanced stage of disrepair and neglect,Water which Bajans accustom to is in crisis in the north and eastern parishes,St Andrew folk don’t know if Whitehill coming or going,Street Vendors unable to vend because there is no place for them to vend.It looks like there is no one at the hellum.Meanwhile Butch Stewart and his select staff are given a free pass and he is seen as doing a favour.Its only a matter of time before the other hoteliers throw down the gauntlet and force an equal playing field.See what’s happening in a sister Caricom country.

    http://antiguaobserver.com/antigua-hotels-tourist-association-calls-for-all-hotel-tax-concessions-to-be-equal-end-fair/

    http://antiguaobserver.com/pm-accused-of-defamation/

  48. Bernard Codrington. Avatar
    Bernard Codrington.

    This article really put the cat among the pigeons.The basic principle of the christian religion is to love each other as we love our selves. Certainly some of the political and economic policies over recent times did not reflect this basic tenet. The economic crisis, which was not of our doing, has caused us to panic and so we seem bent on this name blame and shame game. We need to decide whether the model which put us at the head of developing countries socially,economically and politically is applicable in this post modern age. Personally I see no need to abandon the mixed economy model.
    What most thinkers observe is that the private sector is taking over the roles of government at a higher cost to the tax payers. The private sector should be providing private goods and services to the public. They should leave the public goods and services to the state. They should not be in road building, transport, lower income housing, ports, education or essential health services.
    The private sector is supposed to be driven by risk taking. They avoid risks by asking for government subsidies , waiver of taxes and within recent times the transfer of public lands. They even seem to convince government to guarantee a market for them by collecting payments through the public tax system..So whereas Developed countries are trying to get persons and corporations to pay their fair share of taxes,Barbados, a developing country is doing the opposite. It is this redistribution of the tax burden that is making most taxpayers uncomfortable.
    Should government be developing and marketing the tourist Industry or should the Hotel Association be doing this? Just a mischievous thought!! What about agriculture, Manufacturing and Commerce?

  49. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Frank Forde,

    If one forgives in the middle of the battle one will surely wind up dead! The battle is NOT over!

  50. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    The Antiguan Gaston Browne administration has challenged the abrasive Butch Stewart,the darling and saviour of the likes of Freundel Stuart,Richard Sealy and Chris Sinckler,to take to court the matter of Sandals charging the full tax rate of 12.5% on rooms and converting 65% of the tax to its own use and paying over the remaining 35% to the Antiguan authorities.

    http://antiguaobserver.com/sue-me-browne-tells-sandals/

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