Dame Marguerite Pindling, pictured at her swearing-in as Deputy to the Governor General by Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett on April 28.
By TANEKA THOMPSON
Tribune News Editor
DAME Marguerite Pindling has outstanding real property taxes amounting to $306,831.73 on her home in western New Providence and has not paid for at least 14 years, according to documents obtained by The Tribune.
Dame Marguerite is the widow of the first Bahamian Prime Minister, Sir Lynden Pindling who died on August 26, 2000. The documents show that the arrears began in 2000.
The owners of the home in Skyline Heights are listed as Sir Lynden Pindling and Marguerite Pindling, according to the documents.
In the absence of payments over the past 14 years, interest charges on the outstanding taxes have swelled annually from $431.70 after the first year of non-payment to $16,259.25 to date.
According to the documents, as of June 18 the annual real property tax on the home was $14,138.50 with an interest fee of $16,259.25 amounting to a total payment of $30,397.75.
Fourteen years ago, the real property tax on the home was $8,634.
When confronted about the unpaid taxes yesterday, Dame Marguerite, 81, would not comment.
“I cannot comment my dear, I am very sorry,” she said when told The Tribune had obtained information about her outstanding real properly taxes.
When told that it shows she has not paid real property taxes for more than a decade she replied, “I said I have no comment” and disconnected the call. Dame Marguerite’s daughter, Monique Pindling, also chose not to comment on the issue when contacted a few hours later. A real estate industry insider yesterday estimated that the home is valued at more than $3 million.
Dame Marguerite receives Sir Lynden’s pension payments in accordance with the Prime Minister’s Pension Act. In February, Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis told The Tribune that the government is owed more than $550 million in real property taxes. The uncollected fees date back 30 years.
Mr Halkitis has admitted that the government does not have sufficient manpower or equipment to control its level of tax collection. Members of the opposition and representatives from the private sector have urged the government to collect the outstanding taxes as a means of fiscal reform before implementing the proposed value added tax.
The revelation about the outstanding taxes comes amid speculation that Dame Marguerite will be appointed as the next Governor General of The Bahamas, to succeed Sir Arthur Foulkes. Sir Arthur will demit office next month.
Dame Marguerite currently serves as deputy to the Governor General whenever Sir Arthur is out of the country.
Yesterday a senior member of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), who was informed of the outstanding taxes by The Tribune, said the matter should preclude Dame Marguerite from being appointed to the post of Governor General.
“If that is true that would disqualify her,” said the PLP member, who did not want to be named. “If those things are true they ought to come out, in fairness to the nation. One can’t ascend the hill with that kind of thing (over their head). You can’t be the head of the state and owe state institutions significant monies.”
According to the PLP insider, Dame Marguerite is also seen as too divisive a figure to replace Sir Arthur.
“She is only known to be the wife of Sir Lynden,” said the PLP insider. “She was very involved in the last election campaign, her great struggle will be to avoid being a polarising (figure). She obviously carries herself well, but she doesn’t bring to the office any personal accomplishment beyond that of being a supportive wife of the father of the nation.”
Earlier this year it was revealed that the government’s former Value Added Tax messenger Ishmael Lightbourne owed more than $100,000 in real property tax on a commercial property he owned and more than $7,000 for his waterfront home.
Comments
DillyTree 10 years, 5 months ago
14 years? I suspect it has been longer than that. I guess $75k in pension isn't enough. Perhaps the PLP will ask for an increase in pension, or in Ishmael Lightbourne fashion, offer Dame Marguerite the Governor Generalship with a raise so she can afford to pay her bills.
Doesn't anyone pay their bills any more? Or are the politicians and their friends claiming "hard times" too? This is a disgrace.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 5 months ago
Well you see...the problem is that the location description on the houses can be pretty vague, the tax collectors get confused sometimes as to what house they need to go to to enquire about these things...my guess is they were not too sure which house was her's and exactly where she lived... ;-)
Publius 10 years, 5 months ago
There are no words.
DillyTree 10 years, 5 months ago
Oh, then that's ok, as it isn't her fault. Maybe with the dreadful mail service we have, she never got the bill for 14 years either. And then the bank lost the cheques that she did send faithfully all those years, and the treasury applied it to the wrong account....
The excuses keep coming! LOL!
B_I_D___ 10 years, 5 months ago
Sounds about right...
bahamasoapmama 10 years, 5 months ago
I worked for a law firm and every single foreign owned home in the family islands we conveyed would have unpaid property taxes. Every single home in New Providence would have unpaid property tax. How they allow this to go on years and years (some as long as 20 years) I'll never understand. I guess those people get paid to show up at the door but work is optional.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 5 months ago
It's a tax break for the foreign owned homes...when they go to sell, the RPT gets paid off at the time of the sale, reducing the capital gain amount they need to report back to their homeland for taxes, in turn they get to pay less taxes to their government.
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
Of special note, before you red Tribune bloggers go all Pindling character assassination crazy. Come to grips with the evidence that the late Comrade Prime Minister Lynden O. Pindling had in fact PAID his property taxes. Comrade Pindling up to the time of his death in 2000 WAS NOT delinquent in the payment of taxes on the family Homestead.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 5 months ago
I can believe that...assignation...now that's funny!!
hurricane 10 years, 5 months ago
Oh shut up you comrade idiot.
birdiestrachan 10 years, 5 months ago
It is to bad that these PLP Insiders quoted by the Tribune are such cowards that they refuse to stand up and say who they are. I trust that Lady Pindling will pay her property taxes and all of the interest will be written off. She in her own way has done much for the Bahamas and its people . She was always up front and centre in the struggles. If this is her only sin, may she be forgiven after she has paid.
Now does the Tribune have a list of others who have not paid their property tax, or is this just about Mrs. Pindling. ??
BDN 10 years, 5 months ago
Where do you get that kool-aid from? I been looking for a new flavor to taste.
Purcell 10 years, 5 months ago
What she did for the country was to let Mr Pindling in for some back shots. That is about it.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 5 months ago
Thats poor taste about the "First Lady" ... but the "Father" was just like any other full blooded Negro............ he had to have his backshots
jlcandu 10 years, 5 months ago
I've heard this nonsense before from PLP's claiming Mrs. Pindling "has done much for the Bahamas and its people". I in turn asked what exactly has she done -- besides being the former PM's wife.
So I ask you. What has she done? What are her accomplishments over the 20+ years she was the PM's wife? I'd like to know...
mangogirl01 10 years, 5 months ago
Yes Birdiestrachan, please list what she has done for the Bahamas because alI I can remember over the years is Mrs. Pindling looking down on the average Bahamian treating those not on her level with contempt, living the fabulous life, looking pretty and smiling, drinking and eating the best of everything, buying expensive clothes, wine and travel galore! Don't say she was a part of the Women's Sufferage Movement because she wasn't and don't say she was a part of the struggle for equality and independence of our nation, because she wasn't!! Oh, she did help out the Red Cross when they sold tickets for their annual raffle and appeared on the election campaigns with her late husband and the current prime minister!! We need to stop putting these political personas on a pedestal cause all of our blood runs red and all of us have taxes and bills to pay no matter your position in life!!
Honestman 10 years, 5 months ago
This is why we ordinary Bahamians are having to face the prospect of a punitive VAT regime next year. The rules don't apply to the privileged elite political class do they?
B_I_D___ 10 years, 5 months ago
Nope...taxes are only to be paid by the poor...and the whiteys...especially those with big businesses...those guys step out of line for just one week and all hell breaks loose with collection demands.
KM 10 years, 5 months ago
Man this government is corrupt and full of law breakers. All i have to say is if Mr.Halkitis saidthey cant control the level of tax collection on real property tax ,how inthe world they gonna control the collection of Value Added Tax when it comes into effect. Instead they try and fix the issue with the taxes we do have now they want to implement more. I honestly dont see how this country will survive with leaders like this.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 5 months ago
Ahhh...but ya see...VAT is meant to be automated...so much so that in the legislation there are provisions for the government to automatically deduct from your bank account, what they think they are owed in VAT...you don't pay it...they yank it out of your account for you!! If there is a dispute over the amount then you have to go through a formal claim process and plead your case.
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
Thousands of lands across Bahamaland ARE owned by strangers unknown to you. Comrades the more pressing, serious matter that needs addressing is not whether Mrs. Pindling has paid her property taxes but are you paying your taxes on time on property that the Title may not be worth any more than the value of the blank land papers it was conveyed on by lawyers to you? Oh yes, and you could be paying some bank or mortgage holder mortgage payments on property, owned not by you but by the real owner(s)?
B_I_D___ 10 years, 5 months ago
I have been a law abiding citizen and have paid all my taxes, all the proper customs duties, all my NIB, all my business license fees, all my RPT on my home and businesses...not anymore...I'm following the lead of our government and 'political elite' now and what I can get away with not paying, ain't gonna get paid.
hurricane 10 years, 5 months ago
OMG, you're dense.
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
Comrade BID what would really be front page news worthy to Tribune readers would be, if politicians from BOTH of the two major political parties were paying their taxes, government loans, fees, BEC light bills, customs duties, etc, as they are required to so do? Regardless of your politics, I am not aware of any excuse good enough for thousands paychecks strapped Bahamalanders to be rushing to excuse away such behavior. Any and all attempts to make this story all about Mrs. Pindling is unjust.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago
Great lets make it about corruption in politics in general. Hold everyone who seeks office accountable . Stop appointing drug dealers and law breakers to high office on the premise of "giving them a second chance". Anyone separated for embezzling should never be placed in 200 miles of public finances, anyone accused of taking bribes or fast tracking permits should not be in 100 miles of public finances . Those persons eliminated, the two or so persons left should then be held to a really high standard, vetted to ensure they are compliant with local laws. Have an exercise where you take two weeks to go through each item, line by line so no one can say "I didn't know"
jlcandu 10 years, 5 months ago
I don't agree with you Tal. This woman is the supposed to be the next Governor-General. By now the news that she hasn't paid her taxes is in the international forum. She has no credibility.
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
Comrade Jlcandu, first of all, all this talk about Mrs. Pindling having been the one selected by PM Christie as our next Governor-general is only talk. Secondly, if you know my thinking I would never excuse her or anyone else not paying their taxes..To the contrary, our entire society is on the verge of a moral and financial bankruptcy, because some think they''re too privileged or above the law..
jackbnimble 10 years, 5 months ago
I love this new "media is our watchdog" thing that has come to Bahamian politics. It is obvious going forward thay anyone who is looking to ascend to high office had better have their ducks in a row!! Leaders should lead by example from the GG down. I don't care who it is and what their contribution to the Bahamas has been. Pay ya damned bills!!!
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago
"No significant accomplishments". That's a label we can stick on all but maybe two or three of our leaders and top public service officials. The underachievers get elected through popularity and then promote their likewise underachieving cohorts to positions of prominence. Our children see underachievers "getting ahead" and decide underachieving pays off. You can get rich while doing nothing. Welcome to the Bahamas.
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
Comrades you gotta be liking, well not everyone likes him, how the Tribune's new Englishman Managing Editor is changing the way politics will be covered in their Shirley and Deveaux newspaper.
ohdrap4 10 years, 5 months ago
The late Paul Adderley once said: In the bahamas, only the poor or the unfortunate pay taxes.
I am the poor. Rupert is the unfortunate.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 5 months ago
Now we understand why we have a $6 billion debt ................ SMT
Publius 10 years, 5 months ago
I am an average Joe who pays all his taxes and bills, and I dont have the benefit of a high paying political crony job nor do I have the opportunity to get millions under the table from corrupt backdoor deals. I am a member of the under-siege middle class who is being forced to carry the financial burden of the country on our shoulders while these miscreants live comfortably off the relatively stable economy we provide them. Infuriated doesn't begin to describe my disposition at the stage.
asiseeit 10 years, 5 months ago
The POLITICAL CLASS of this country need to be taken down a notch or maybe even taken out. These set are WORSE than the BAY STREET BOYS at least when they got taken out the country had money in the bank! People are starting to say words that start with R, such as revolt, revolution, rebel, but surely NOT re-elect. And lets be strait, ALL of the POLITICAL CLASS need to CHECK STOCK, the people will only take so much!
P.S Birdie, I want some of what you are drinking, then even when I am getting swing I will be able to smile and think it is all good.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 5 months ago
You said a mouthful........... these are the "Sunshine Boys" named by Greg Moss ............ he defined them perfectly ....... Snake and the Boys
The_Oracle 10 years, 5 months ago
OK, we need a citizen appointed Royal commission of inquiry on delinquent tax payers from the political elite, the connected and the wealthy, then everyone else! Check the bill paying status of anyone on that commission first! Rack 'em and Stack 'em! There seems to be no rock without some shyster hiding under it! What a legacy they've built for themselves, Stellar, absolutely stellar! Forget forgiveness, we need stocks in Rawson Square!
Cornel 10 years, 5 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
BDN 10 years, 5 months ago
I should have saved that photo before they took it down! Surprised they would take that down, but leave some of the weird comments I see on here.
Cornel 10 years, 5 months ago
What a shame I thought that it was pretty funny
justthefactsplease 10 years, 5 months ago
It will be interesting to see how Regina (Queen Elizabeth) responds to having a tax dodger be her representative in the commonwealth. The standards in this country have got so low that we will have to dig to reach the roof.
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
In we Bahamaland we is still safe from idolizing. Comrades despite what bloggers want us to think, we Bahamalanders have never been in the business of making Gods out of our politicians. Calling them we Moses or we Papa is about the extent of our lasting reverence and even with that one, it's fleeting with every passing day. We have not and never will build temples in honor of our politicians. If outsiders were to judge us by the way we just loves talk lots about politics, we'd come pretty damn close to making politics a religion ... but politics is no religion in Bahamaland. We Bahamalanders are too damn quick to orphaned off, or disown we leaders.
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
PM...really? How easy are your MP's and senators to embarrass? Real embarrassment is when parents are too ashamed to share their loss of their paychecks, with their children.
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years, 5 months ago
Even the Royal Monarchy (QE II and family) now has to pay taxes in the U.K. The British tabloids are going to have a field day if our brain dead Christie has another episodic attack of arrogance and proceeds to anoint the tax dodger Mrs Ping as our next Govenor-General.
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years, 5 months ago
Why did The Nassau Guardian choose a picture of Mrs. Ping standing next to Sir Pompie who now serves as our Chief Justice of The Supreme Court? Is it possibly because they may know he too has not paid all of his taxes? Now that would be a truly scandalous revelation, in which case all of us should immediately stop paying any and all taxes. fees, etc. of any kind levied by our corrupt government.
mangogirl01 10 years, 5 months ago
Lol, that may be so!
TheObjectiveVoice 10 years, 5 months ago
I wonder how many politicians went to pay their real property taxes today, for the fear of their lack of payment being unearthed in this way. Are we to believe that she is the only one? This is clearly political fodder and honestly, I am tired of the back and forth. Leave this 81-year-old woman in peace. Tell the people send the bill - she has about four or five children... They will take care of her business... How many Bahamians do you know who pays their bills on time? Call the banks and they will tell you the truth. Leave this lady alone, please and let her have her dignity in her twilight years...
DillyTree 10 years, 5 months ago
I am a Bahamian who pays all my bills on time -- electric, tax, property tax, National Insurance, etc. So do all of my 80-something relatives, so this talk about giving her a pass because she's old doesn't wash. Most old people aren't getting $75k a year for doing absolutely nothing -- have you seen what National Insuance expects people to live on these days? Stop making excuses for her -- she needs to pay her taxes like everyone else. And if she can't pay them, sell the house and move into a nice condo or apartment somewhere. That is everyone else's reality.
jackbnimble 10 years, 5 months ago
I find it fascinating that people would actually try to justify this. You know, no one is denying that Lady P made significant contributions to our country - whatever they may be - but how does this excuse her or anyone else who is in "high" office from paying their bills. You know, we have got to get out of this "third world" mentality where the voters are just too dumb to figure things out. Our leaders need to be held to a higher standard and kudos to the media that holds their feet to the fire. For too long we've been living in a polarized society of the "haves" and the "have-nots". If I, the average joe have to pay my bills, then why can't the persons who seek to represent me, do the same. Anyone who says otherwise if talking nonsense!!!
GrassRoot 10 years, 5 months ago
what do you have to do to become a Dame or a Sir. Be able to spell your name correctly?
sheeprunner12 10 years, 5 months ago
In our country, only politicians qualify for these high Queen's honours ... name me one regular Joe or Jane who has excelled who has been knighted???????? NONE!!!!!!!!!!!
jusscoolin 10 years, 5 months ago
Don't panic everyone this seem to be all a dream right now. Awwwwww hell no ! Someone up there has to be sitting on their brains. They wanna throw VAT on me the small man . One who is suffering to pay to keep a roof over my head while they live the Robin Leech thing. They have this country in depth with their careless spending with now regard to what the heck the Bahamian people want. As a child mommy wipe my mouth because my mouth was dirty and ee no one here to do that now. Print all dem who owe money . They joken mann!
John 10 years, 5 months ago
Maybe this is a good time for the government to have an amnesty period and allow those who want to bring their property taxes current to do so. Part of the problem was that when this tax was introduced, many years ago, many persons did not pay RPT because they felt the tax was both unfair and an unnecessary burden. Now come times like this when tax bills have escalated into the hundreds of thousands of dollars and some people (politicians included) have no means to pay. The only option left to some people may be to sell the property and pay off the taxes. The lesson here is to remember that as you get older or when the economy goes bad your income stream may be substantially reduced. Also the value levied on your properties may increase, thus increasing the amount of tax you will have to pay. Either property owners must plan for taxes when they retire or sell off their properties and move into smaller homes. Personally I think that persons over the age of 65 should be exempt from paying property taxes on one residential property until their demise, provided they can show proof that they live there.
asiseeit 10 years, 5 months ago
The fact of the matter is that there is a class of people that believe that the Bahamas is THEIRS, they think that they are the ELITE, they think that they are ABOVE THE LAW, they are THE POLITICAL CLASS! The rest of us are just PLEBES that must bow down and pay THEIR TAXES to KEEP THE POLITICAL CLASS IN THE MANNER THEY HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED! The FAT CATS have run this country into the ground. They have become WEALTHY beyond what most of us could dream of and they want MORE. Regular Bahamians are fit only to grovel at the feet of the POLITICAL CLASS, pay your taxes so they can live large and nothing more. Oh ya, when they waste, steal, and bestow all the taxes on them and theirs, THEY ARE COMING FOR MORE!
Publius 10 years, 5 months ago
So very true
John 10 years, 5 months ago
The point you are missing is that not only politicians owe taxes. Many hard working Bahamians have lost their business during this recession and during the long, over extended road works. Others have lost jobs and need time to rebound and get back on their financial feet again. Some of us are more fortunate. We have jobs tat provide housing for us and others have government jobs that saw no downsing or layoffs.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 5 months ago
True ................. but that doesnot justify the political elite and well connected who have sizeable incomes, been given a slide with their taxes........... we all must be responsible citizens
sheeprunner12 10 years, 5 months ago
You may be right General.......... that is what makes this story so damning for the political elite ........... it exposes them for what they really are......... parasites of the people.......... We must fight this exploitation!!!!!!!!!!
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years, 5 months ago
Christie and "Little Good" Brad are mentally disturbed in far too many very unhealthy ways. They now seem to be suggesting Mrs. Ping should not be held liable for her unpaid real property taxes (including penalties and interest accrued to date) because she is somehow (in their lame minds) suffering from financial hardship and entitled to much more than she has received from a country greatly indebted to her. Meanwhile Mrs. Ping lives in a lake side mansion on an 11 acre estate in an exclusive Cable Beach neighborhood collecting a pension and other benefits well in excess of $100,000 a year of the Peoples money from Public Treasury. The average Bahamian on the other hand is struggling like never before to try and make ends meet while enduring financial hardships Christie and "Little Good" Brad can only begin to imagine. THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY HAVE ALREADY GRACIOUSLY ENDOWED MRS. PING WITH MUCH MORE THAN THE COUNTRY CAN AFFORD AND THE VERY LEAST SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE AS AN EXPRESSION OF HER GRATITUDE TO THE BAHAMIAN PEOPLE IS PAY HER TAXES WHEN THEY BECAME DUE! INSTEAD SHE HAS SPIT IN THE EYE OF THE MANY TRULY POOR BAHAMIAN PEOPLE AND CAST SHAME ON OUR COUNTRY!! THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE CHRISTIE, NO MATTER HOW MUCH HOT AIR YOU AND "LITTLE GOOD" BRAD MAY SPEW TO TRY AND SPIN THE FACTS OF THIS HIGHLY EMBARRASSING MATTER FOR THE PEOPLE (NOT MRS. PING) GIVEN THE VERY PUBLIC PERSONA WE (THE PEOPLE) BESTOWED ON HER FOR HER ENJOYMENT. If Christie nominates her for appointment as GG, he himself will be spitting in the eye of the Queen! Go ahead Christie, we dare you! Many of us are well connected to the British Press and London Tabloids and would love to see your insanity feature on the front pages for weeks.....one story after another about your corrupt style of politics that has left a once wealthy country on the verge of financial ruin.
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