EDITOR, The Tribune.
The Tribune published today a notice to real property holders. It requires us, among other things, to file with the Chief Valuation Officer (CVO) a form of the particulars of the property we hold, to enable the CVO “to compile and maintain accurate assessment lists, and such owner shall declare to the correctness of such return before an authorized person.”
The purpose of this list is to enable the CVO to re-assess property for real property tax next year.
But what is the value of our property in a country where-
• The economy is depressed
• We are still recovering from the damages of hurricanes Matthew and Joaquin
• The power fails on a regular basis
• smoke from the dump can engulf a good part of New Providence
• corruption, crime and taxes are at an all time high
• the ease of doing business or getting a job is at an all time low
• the Government is in contempt of Court orders
• the emails of private citizens are exposed in Parliament
• The Government puts the people’s NIB money into the failed Bank of Bahamas to keep it afloat
• The Government fails to account for how public money is spent AND attacks the Auditor General
• The Carnival is over and the public deficit is taking us to the edge of the cliff.
In the interests of the Rule of Law and levelling the playing field, we have to ask our Members of Parliament:
• When are all of you going to comply with the provisions of the Public Disclosure Act?
• When are you going to file with the Public Disclosure Commission the value of the assets you have, for each year you have had a seat in Parliament?
• When is the Prime Minister going to ask the Attorney General to take action on the list of MPs who have not filed disclosures?
We are asking you, our elected representatives and law-makers to lead the way: we are asking you to step up and in good faith observe our laws for the sake of the public you were elected to serve.
We respectfully ask you Prime Minister, Ministers of the Government and members of the Opposition, to meet your obligations under the Public Disclosure Act, and disclose a list of the value of assets you hold - for every year you have had a seat in Parliament.
Please show us you can lead by example.
LEANDRA ESFAKIS
Nassau,
December 9, 2016.
Comments
Alex_Charles 7 years, 9 months ago
The Bahamas according to Numbeo, the crowd sourced global database, the Bahamas sits at number 3 on the list of world's most expensive countries to live in. We have the lowest local purchasing power (wages) and poorest standards of living aside from Jamaica which sits at number 10 on the list.
Our cost low electricity further contributes to that issue and that is an epic failure on BOTH major parties who governed. If we can't battle our inflation then the country will either go bust or massive amounts of gentrification will continue.
Reality_Check 7 years, 9 months ago
An excellent article. By running our country into the ground as it has done, the Christie-led PLP government has literally destroyed an awful lot of real estate value resulting in much shrinkage of the real property tax base of our country. Christie will forever be incapable of appreciating how all of the pieces of our economy fit and move together. Sadly he has always had zero sense when it comes to fostering economic policies that promote growth of any kind. Perhaps he should stop listening altogether to his very greedy cronies, Sir Snake being chief among them!
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