est. 2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

,

Former Minister Maxine McClean Blisters Government’s Decision to Write-off VAT Monies Owed to Taxpayers

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Leader of Government Maxine McClean and Leader of government business in the last administration made a very interesting contribution to the radio talk show Brasstacks on the 8 August 2019. Her contribution severely criticized government’s decision to write-off penalties, interest owed on VAT in the 1996 to 2000…

, ,

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Leader of Government Maxine McClean and Leader of government business in the last administration made a very interesting contribution to the radio talk show Brasstacks on the 8 August 2019. Her contribution severely criticized government’s decision to write-off penalties, interest owed on VAT in the 1996 to 2000 period and a waiver of taxes from 2001 to 2017.

It was unfortunate the moderator of the program appeared ignorant about the subject matter and preferred to pressure McClean to finish her contribution which was valuable if compared to many who use the program to discuss issues boring to most listeners.

Here is the link that captures McClean’s contribution.

 

 

174 responses to “Former Minister Maxine McClean Blisters Government’s Decision to Write-off VAT Monies Owed to Taxpayers”

  1. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    WARU

    Bring some more clarity. Why do say what you have said about McClean? We have proof that Sinckler was and is a liar. We speculated that Sinckler is also in the money like all the stinking others. What makes McClean so stink. And why are you not interested in finding out why Rogue Works is not operating transparent and giving an account of all those persons and businesses whom she pardoned from years of unpaid taxes.

  2. Charles Skeete Avatar
    Charles Skeete

    “VAT is commonly expressed as a percentage of the total cost. For example, if a product costs $100 and there is a 15% VAT, the consumer pays $115 to the merchant. The merchant keeps $100 and remits $15 to the government”

    If we are to follow the above example; then Government is clearly aiding and abetting illegality by writing off monies collected by a third party on their behalf. It is not like income tax where money is paid to Government on income earned. Thus VAT monies collected from individuals and not paid over to Government constitutes theft. In addition, the principle of netting off has never been a practice in Government accounting. For example, i cannot deduct tax owed by me for this financial year from refunds due me in previous years and pay the difference.
    Unfortunately, even though MS Maclean remarks are indeed correct; theywill attract criticism because the administration of which she was a part wrote off taxes as well.

  3. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    Charles Skeete

    hmmmmmm kiss kiss. This government and the one before, along with whatever discussions give rise to these businesses not paying taxes because the politician spoke to the department head so that their campaign contributor or friend can get away with murder, want investigating. Rogue Works wukking, but certainly not in the interest of responsible governance. Already she is shady.

  4. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    I still dont think ya getting it…SSS

    in the grand scheme of things…McClean is insignificant, not worth listening to, am not going to listen to some mediocre person telling me something i already know…..especially when she had nothing to say when those thefts were happening and she was right THERE…

    Going to prison for enabling the THEFTS OF PUB LLIC FUNDS…would be a win win for the people robbed by all these thieves in and out of parliament.

    ….as we have been saying for YEARS…this issue with not collecting vat payments is nothing new…Courts alone owes around 25 million dollars in Vat that both governments refused to collect…because they know why..am sure Mia wrote that one off too…if not the other useless governent did..none of them care about the majority population’s money or losses, except for when they are all colluding to TIEF IT..

  5. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Yes the past administration did likewise
    However this new govt promised changed for the better and on May 24th the change is what people voted for
    Therfore whether or not McLean was party to an administration that did actions which are below law
    She has a right as a citizen to hold this administration feet to the fire for a promise they made to be accountable and transparent to the people
    Going backwards is a reason why barbados is in the financial hell hole

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    The blogmaster agrees she has the right to air her views. The fact she is not seen as credible does not negate her right. Let us move on by prosecuting the substantive matter.

  7. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    Dear David: Remind us again of the substantive matter. Thanks.

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @Simple Simon

    For you sure.

    A greater level of transparency required if government see the need to writ off, waive taxes and penalties.

  9. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ Charles Skeete August 12, 2019 11:08 AM
    “VAT is commonly expressed as a percentage of the total cost. For example, if a product costs $100 and there is a 15% VAT, the consumer pays $115 to the merchant. The merchant keeps $100 and remits $15 to the government”

    “If we are to follow the above example; then Government is clearly aiding and abetting illegality by writing off monies collected by a third party on their behalf. It is not like income tax where money is paid to Government on income earned. Thus VAT monies collected from individuals and not paid over to Government constitutes theft. In addition, the principle of netting off has never been a practice in Government accounting.”
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    So far the above represents the most worthwhile contribution to this topic.

    The refusal to pay over VAT collected after netting off the input VAT is nothing more but the fleecing of consumers and defrauding the Treasury.

    VAT is NOT a tax on the business operations like property tax and other rates; or even tax on corporate profits.

    The Government should consider a proposal which would allow the VAT-registered businesses to deduct a ‘reasonable’ fee to cover the costs involved in administering the VAT regime but businesses have NO justification, cash flow or otherwise, for collecting taxes from consumers and NOT paying over to the BRA.

    You can ‘bet’ that the majority of those businesses (or their owners/principals) which will be benefiting from the forgiveness of the VAT debts are those which have been instrumental in ensuring the electoral campaigns of the duopoly were well financed over the years.

    Didn’t a similar write-off exercise take place under the previous DLP regime for the Turf Club in respect of betting and gaming duties due to the Treasury?
    Why is Ms McClean not being ‘fair and balanced’ by omitting this precedent which occurred during her time as a Cabinet minister?

  10. David Avatar
    David

    @Miller

    How is this situation different to delinquent NIS and PAYE payments?

  11. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ David August 12, 2019 1:14 PM

    Both situations represent downright breaches of the revenue laws for which the directors should be held personally liable.

    But the difference between the VAT liability and NIS/PAYE deductions is that the VAT comes straight from the customers’ purse with the ‘moral’ expectation it would be paid over to the Treasury.

    Whereas the NIS/PAYE deductions are effectively upfront costs to the business and must be factored into the mark-up or price to the customer. They represent costs to be recovered in the value added pricing chain.

    If there is no sale to the customer there is no opportunity to recover these costs.

    But the business can recover the input VAT associated with the production and storage of the product and services available for sale.

  12. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @Miller at 1;10 p.m. “Didn’t a similar write-off exercise take place under the previous DLP regime for the Turf Club in respect of betting and gaming duties due to the Treasury?”

    it was $40 BDS million I believe. Now if the government had that money in hand they could write a cheque for $133,000, and 33 cents to each of the 300 foreign squatter families, ask them to go home and collect a written promise that they will not come back for at least 10 years, and that they will NEVER squat in Barbados again.

    Problem solved.

  13. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    Thanks David. I am all for transparency.

    Simple Simon.

    neither “B” nor “D”

  14. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    WARU

    No, I am not getting it. You should know what hormonal changes do to ya brain when you under the influence of a cookie baking in the oven. So help my simpleton brain to understand at this stage. McClean has no significance is not an issue for me. McClean being no different to that ilk that brought Barbados to its knees is not the issue for me either. Rather she is just as stink like the other bandits still not the issue for me. The issue is why did none of the parties go after the unpaid taxes. Rogue Works said: in the name of transparency and accountability will be the hallmark of her new administration. We know that only the foolish would believe such words coming from a seasoned rogue. So while you are busy attacking McClean for being insignificant, I heard her message and now I want to know that because frivolous reasons given for the write offs why can we not have the names published of those who got the write offs. We know the answer but the pressure needs to be applied to Rogue Works to provide more accountability on this matter because some politician or politicians are at the driving seat of these persons not paying their taxes and vat.

  15. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    SSS…this might help you understand better why i want to hear nothing from shitehounds like McClean..

    What many are missing is that the Vat was ALREADY COLLECTED AT POINT OF SALE…you pay vat at cash registers as consumers etc…the businesses that collected the vat…REFUSED TO PAY ANY OF THE MONEY TO EITHER GOVERNMENT…and that was ok by both governments…when it is a clear case of THEFT…and they should all have been arrested..

    i believe we have been saying this for YEARS..

  16. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    And we are talking hundreds of millions of dollars they stole from the public…stolen from .vulnerable people……with the blessings and their cut….from AND for both governments…

  17. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    And don’t for one minute delude yourself that McClean knew nothing about any of this, she is a fraud…a pretender…

  18. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    Again Waru ma girl

    The VAT not paid, the taxes not paid, the deals that were struck was allowed, permitted, consented, and overlooked for years by these two lying parties. None of them has any intentions of bringing each other fine pigs to market. How is not wanting to hear anything from McClean gonna stop what already exist. If McClean is insignificant then focus on what is significant. McClean made some points let us direct those points to the Rogue who granted the write offs. Let us ask the Rogue make all those who owe Public record.

  19. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    David how many times over even before McLean brought this issue to the public attention
    I made full exposure by my lonesome to what govt had done by writing off taxes to business owners and no one said a word not even u David
    But the problem i most find in this discussion is the attacks launched at Mclean because she did a civic duty in exposing this govt dirty laundry
    But yuh know something about u David u are one dirty S..ob time and time again you refer to me as one ac as if you have eyes to see who is sitting behind a computer
    Yuh need to chill cause anybody if given permission can acess a computer
    Many time i ignore yuh BS because yuh only got an IP number as a reference or adress as a registration but you nor no one can says with 100hundred percent certainty who is writing a comment coming from any persons IP adresss

  20. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    You are spouting nonsense. BU will publish content when we adjudge it will have more impact and NOT based on your political agenda.

  21. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    SSS…you are the one on and on about you don’t get the deal with McClean…as i said from day one, she is not worth listening to, this has to be handled another way, and not by McClean’s hot air that will get ya the same results…not one red cent back, and no one locked up..

    ya hear Mia is in coverup mode..

    they are not inviting in outside agencies to INVESTIGATE THEMSELVES……so guess who..

    let’s watch what happens next..

    ya can be sure that we will learn more…

    ya can appeal to Mia if you wish, but we done know she won’t even fart on you.

    ask those who have been on here for years, there has been cussing and appealing and all manner of asking these crooks to collect the vat…FOR YEARS…Mia was in opposition all that time and NEVER SAID A WORD ABOUT THE VAT OR TAX THAT WAS NEVER COLLECTED…not that i can remember anyway, maybe those with a better memory than mine can say if i missed her saying the vat and taxes should be collected…we will know soon Enuff…

    need i say more.

  22. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    David What political agenda .The fact being that when govt feet is being held to fire and rightfully so You should not be so ignorant to prejudge any one comments as political bent
    What such judgement does is to expose u as a political yardfowl having your agenda to run cover for govt

  23. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    Waru

    Do not get ya panties on wrinkle up ma girl. I am on your side. I just want you to understand that embracing McCleans questions means that we now focus on her. I am interested in what she says as the message is clear. I would day tho tho, that if it was coming from the other stinking rats, I would be up in arms against them like you are with McClean. So me concede and say that you are right. Do not want to hear a thing from none of them but I still heard what she has to say and her message was clear. Togue Works operating below the radar but wants to appear that she is above it. The ball is in Rogue Works centre court and we must all watch what she does with it because this woman is a real piece of work.

  24. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    That is what happens when you have THIEVES in the PARLIAMENT helping the THIEVES in the BUSINESS COMMUNITY RIP OFF the majority population to the tune of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS…..year after year without fail…….this has been happening FOR DECADES..

    …..now they are trying to cover up those thefts….in broad daylight…when such massive THEFTS OF PUBLIC FUNDS….should be investigated because generations of vulnerable bajans will be negatively impacted and disenfranchised.. by the thieves in parliament and the business community whom the citizens are now trapped between until they can FINALLY GET RID of Mia and her gang…who obviously does not give a shit, as long as it’s all covered up…and they are all home free with the people’s money…

    That right there is the bottomline ……SSS

    All of this has been going on for far too long this outright theft of public funds PROTECTED BY BOTH GOVERNMENTS…..so no one who knows what they have been doing all this time wants to hear anything from any of them after the fact when EVERYONE OF THEM HAVE KNOWN about their fellow parliamentarians ripping off the country for personal gain for decades….all they have ever needed were the cows, bizzys, bjerkhams and maloneys etc to turn those thefts into reality….and they have them…NOW THEY MUST ALL BE WATCHED…very closely.

    It is time for the people who are the victims of these thieves…TO PUT THEIR FOOT DOWN…on all of them.

Older Comments
1 2 3 4

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading