The Tribune

By Andrew Wilson

DNA Chairman

The Christie administration’s push toward tax reform and specifically the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) has not only raised concerns about the country’s economic future but has also opened a Pandora’s Box surrounding the issue of tax compliance.

For months, the government has ignored calls from the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) and others to focus on the issue of tax compliance rather than forge ahead with plans to implement wholesale transformation of our system of taxation, and now, recent media reports have revealed why.

The DNA has noted with interest, that while both PLP and FNM politicians have been hiding their own tax delinquencies in general, and their Real Property Tax obligations in particular, both governing parties have been conspiring to increase the tax burden of the middle class and the working poor.

No greater example of the gross disparity and unfairness of our tax regime can be cited than that of chief Vat Spokesman’s admission that he did not pay the annual $534 tax on his multi-million dollar estate because he “could not afford it” despite lecturing hard-working Bahamians on the importance of tax compliance.

Should not the persons advocating for full tax compliance also be compliant? But more to the point… should not those legislatures – who have ignored the cries of struggling Bahamians – be adhering to the laws they seek to impose on others. We certainly believe so.

This disclosure, though shocking, presented the PM with an opportunity to truly demonstrate his worth as a leader by taking the proper and necessary steps to address the controversy; to be a lighthouse in the midst of this storm of tax controversy.

Mr Christie however failed again, claiming ignorance rather than accepting responsibility for the very obvious hypocrisy of the situation.

His continued lack of action has since caused discussions on a very important national issue, to deteriorate into petty bickering over who has or has not paid their taxes.

The Democratic National Alliance stands on the side of the law on this issue and insist that Members of Parliament adhere to the rule of law as it relates to The Public Disclosures Act. The Public Disclosure Act mandates in Section 4(1) that Every Senator and Member of Parliament, inclusive of their immediate families, shall furnish to the Public Disclosure Commission… a declaration of assets, income and liabilities.

According to DNA Chairman Andrew Wilson: “It is not enough to call for the release of only tax records as put forth by the Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Minister should go beyond the tax issue and move to the more substantive point of MP compliance under the Public Disclosure Act.”

Accordingly, the DNA calls on the government to release all MPs disclosures submitted to the Public Disclosure Commission.

The government’s handling of this and other matters are further proof of the need of a Freedom of Information Act as well as a system of Recall for Members of Parliament.

It is important as a matter of record for all in government to prove to the voting public that they are in fact working toward transparency and accountability as they serve in public office.

So far, successive administrations have paid only lip service to this idea.