The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

LONG Island MP Adrian Gibson yesterday called on the government to intervene on pressing matters in his constituency which are hazardous to residents, suggesting these had long been ignored.

Among the issues of concern, he told Parliament, is a barge wrecked on the shoreline of Long Island and the state of the roof at the Packing House, leaving employees exposed to the elements.

His remarks came during debate on several amendments to financial services industry laws, passed in the morning session of the House of Assembly.

"Mr Speaker, in recent weeks, a barge wrecked on the shorelines of Long Island," Mr Gibson said. "Among the many other items the barge carried 37,000 gallons of diesel, almost 200 poles, vehicles, wire, telephone substations and a crane etc.

"Today, the barge has broken up along the shoreline. The diesel has spilled into the water. The vehicles and other items are in the water. Poles are floating into shipping lanes and we have still not seen any real effort to remove the barge or to have the debris removed.

"I am calling upon the Minister of Transport (Frankie Campbell) to address this matter as it is a hazard to boaters and the environment and an eyesore."

He continued: "I also note here the need for urgent assistance for the Packing House staff in Long Island. Such assistance has been privately requested of the minister on several occasions and I do so here again.

"The staff are usually drenched after a down pour of rain. On sunny days, they could sit in the Packing House, look up and have a clear view of the sun given the state of the roof.

"The department head has no vehicle to inspect farms and fisheries, to carry produce to the mail boat and fulfil his other duties; the Packing House does not have boxes to pack produce in for shipment, with staff seeking boxes on a weekly basis from stores on the island.

"I am calling upon the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (Renward Wells) to urgently intervene.

Regarding the financial sector, the MP said the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information Amendment Bill, the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information Amendment Regulations and the International Tax Cooperation Amendment Bill solidified due diligence obligations.

On Tuesday, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), issued its council's conclusions on the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes - the blacklist.

Notably on that list were several Caribbean countries, including Barbados, Grenada, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago along with Panama and others.

In omitting The Bahamas, the OECD expressed its sympathy and support to the jurisdictions in the Caribbean region that were severely struck by devastating storms in September 2017, causing casualties and major damage to key infrastructure, and holds the view that the screening process should be put on hold for Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Turks and Caicos Islands and US Virgin Islands.

Nevertheless, the Code of Conduct Group should, by February 2018, pursue further contacts with these jurisdictions, with the view to resolving these concerns by the end of 2018.

However, Mr Gibson said The Bahamas should act as soon as possible.

"I concur that it is in the country's best interest of The Bahamas for bilateral implementation of automatic exchange of financial account information through mutual consent. However, notwithstanding the fact that the first reports must be filed in late 2018, we should in no way dillydally until 2018 to start automatic tax information exchange talks.

"We could easily begin CRS (Common Reporting Standard)-related talks with a number of countries, particular states -- such as those in the European Union -- that have already been deemed as having 'participating jurisdiction status,'" he said.