The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

RIVAL politicians sparred during an argument in the House of Assembly yesterday, as FNM leader Michael Pintard interrupted State Minister for Public Service Pia Glover-Rolle to refute allegations she made about the previous administration.

Mrs Glover–Rolle claimed the Minnis administration introduced one of the largest tax increases on Bahamians - while at the same time it lowered duties on washing machine parts.

“They successfully introduced one of the largest tax increases in Bahamian history when they increased VAT by 60 percent, stifling the economy in the process,” Mrs Glover–Rolle said during her Budget debate contribution. “They successfully lowered duties on washing machine parts – that was their very successful Superwash Stimulus Programme.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle seemingly made reference to former Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar, owner of Superwash, who served in the Minnis Cabinet.

Mr Pintard stood up on a point of order in the House to refute the claims of Mrs Glover-Rolle.

“When we came to office, we came to office with a Budget having already been drafted,” Mr Pintard said. “In the Budget, washing machines, not commercial washing machines but regular washing machines, in fact, had the exemption.

“This has been clarified over and over. Because you are suggesting that by virtue of a member of the Cabinet being the owner of a business that there may have been some correlation.”

“It was their Budget, and it was them who put in the Budget the exemption on washing machines. It was the Progressive Liberal Party,” Mr Pintard shouted.

In 2017, when Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis was the opposition leader, he questioned why the Minnis administration was providing Budget tax breaks to wealthy individuals and businesses given its claim that “the cupboard is bare”.

He argued that in contrast to its “cupboard is bare” claim, the Minnis administration was foregoing “much-needed revenue” on equipment and products such as washing machine parts, aircraft parts and maintenance, paints and salmon.

“Those wealthy enough to own airlines, paint supply stores and wash houses must be extremely pleased with how it’s their time,” Mr Davis said in his 2017 Budget debate contribution.

“This Budget washes you, cleans you and presses you,” he added, seemingly referring to the presence of Mr D’Aguilar.

Rising on a point of order, Mr D’Aguilar accused Mr Davis of misleading the House of Assembly, as the 2017-2018 Budget duty cuts related only to residential washers and dryers - not the commercial washers imported by laundromats such as Superwash.