Prime Minister Philip Davisin the House of Assembly on June 17, 2024. Photo: Nikia Charlton
By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Staff Reporter
PRIME Minister Philip Davis said there is a better way for tax collectors to ensure compliance than visiting businesses with intimidating law enforcement officers carrying guns.
His comment in the House of Assembly came after St Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright said such a show of force deters entrepreneurs and businesses.
Numerous business people have complained since a video of the Revenue Enhancement Taskforce entering CBS Bahamas went viral last Monday. A customer representative said the episode was disruptive and alarming to staff and customers.
“I am too moved by what I have seen," Mr Davis said yesterday. "It was the enforcement unit. They thought they had to show force to enforce, but I have expressed there is a better way."
Mr Davis said he does not expect to see such scenes again unless it is necessary and the situation requires an escalation.
He said he was advised that armed persons were present because the enforcement unit was also collecting cash that needed to be protected.
He said the task force will, in the future, differentiate between situations where officers are needed to secure cash and when they are inquiring about compliance.
The task force includes officials from the departments of inland revenue, immigration and customs, the National Insurance Board, police and the Defence Force.
In addition to a CBS representative, Jak Hannaby-Cummins, Palm Cay’s managing director, said last week that the task force left onlookers "mortified and intimidated" after officers visited him with guns drawn, demanding a list of contractors and subcontractors at the site.
Comments
pt_90 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Some common sense prevails
And some people were out there and in the comments defending this.
ExposedU2C 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Rubbish.....very carefully read what he (Davis) said.
ExposedU2C 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Why has neither Davis, management of CBS, nor The Tribune offered any explanation for why cash was being collected (seized) by a government department or agency from a business establishment using armed forces? Was a search and seizure warrant supported by a court order obtained?
Is The Tribune gaslighting its readership by deliberately omitting important facts here? Or is The Tribune staff reporter really that incompetent?
More importantly though, Davis has not called for anyone's head to roll in this matter. If Always Angry Simon Wilson had any involvement in this matter, Davis should have summarily dismissed him.
Also note that corrupt Davis, if quoted correctly by The Tribune, has by way of veil threat left the door open to armed forces being used in the future to intimidate and coerce individuals and businesses without first assuring that due process has been afforded the targeted business or individual. Simply terrifying to say the least!
Corrupt Davis is clearly now following-up on tyrant Minnis's efforts to transform our nation into a police state.
bahamianson 5 months, 3 weeks ago
There is a better way on tax compliance.....stoo taxing people their entire paycheck. You are always looking for ways to tax your people. You cannot tax a countey out of debt. Wr are tired of the new taxes and increased taxes. Anyone can say," lets increase a tax. The ones with the degrees are supposed to solve the probl3ms.
trueBahamian 5 months, 3 weeks ago
A Gestapo state. First of all this is tax collection. Seems like a much softer approach is warranted. You're not going after armed robbers and murderers. Gross overkill. Why would you be collecting money on a visit in any scenario? Either the PM is detached from reality or there is some statement being made here that is in extremely poor taste.
First of all armed law enforcement officers are not skilled in business. Their approach is usually one of aggression and intimidation. If you anticipate potential physical conflict you can have officers outside who can be called in if the need arises. But, of course you don't need high powered, heavily armed officers for that. If this seemed to make sense to someone they should employ that at all of the government agencies collecting revenue. With all of the stealing, mismanagement, etc there should be a heavy handed approach to bring them in order.
realfreethinker 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Brave is full of shit. No government agencies go and collect cash tax receipts. How much cash you anticipate being on hand. I call bullshit
SP 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Let's see if we can get this "BOLD FACE LIE" straight.
PM Brave Davis expects us to believe that officials from the departments of inland revenue, immigration and customs, the National Insurance Board, police and the Defence Force coordinated this stupidly without the knowledge of Cabinet?
Firstly, IF this is true, the Cabinet has totally lost control of law enforcement and needs to resign.
Secondly IF this is true, officials from the departments of inland revenue, immigration and customs, the National Insurance Board, police and the Defence Force is totally out of control, and whoever took part in orchestrating this stupidly have proven beyond any doubt that they are unfit to hold such powerful positions in the country, and they must be made to resign along with the entire Cabinet immediately before they have the opportunity to do even more dumb stupidity.
In any case, PM Davis and his Cabinet of spineless buffoons are 100% responsible for law enforcements acts of intimidation, and terrorizing tourists, entrepreneurs, businesses, and the general public at large!
Thirdly, and equally as dumb and stupid, who the hell ever heard of a government imposing taxes on businesses a year in advance BEFORE the damn business made any income or collected taxes from their customers?
What happens should the businesses have a soft year? Will the government refund them?
PM Davis needs to leave businesses alone and focus his gestapos attention on resolving corruption in government!
Davis needs to send his goons locked and loaded to Permeant Secretaries, Bahamas Customs, Immigration, Internal revenue, Agriculture, Social Services, Registry, NIB, and every other government department that have been robbing taxpayers blind for decades.
Lastly, Davis REALLY needs send his goons locked and loaded to Lyford Cay, Old Fort Bay, and Albany as this is where the biggest criminals in country are "WELL KNOWN PROVEN" to be. They will need their weapons for sure!
ExposedU2C 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Yup, couldn't agree more.
Corrupt stumpy Davis and his cabinet are clearly no longer in control. Notwithstanding the many well documented instances of misconduct by the Always Angry Simon Wilson, stumpy Davis and his useless cabinet ministers can't even get rid of that moronic imbecile.
hj 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Are we to believe that this happened without the knowledge of the PM who is also the minister of finance? If this is the case who coordinated this stupidity? Will it be any consequences? Why the business licence portal was changed and this "estimated" revenue feature was added? Something like this was bound to add confusion,or this was their aim from the beginning,so they can claim that a business is not compliant? I understand that many businesses are receiving intimidating letters that urge them to come clean. Should these businesses expect a visit from the task force with machine guns? Whoever authorized this mess should either resign or be removed,although i would not expect such decency.
SP 5 months, 3 weeks ago
I see the Tribune was compelled to remove this conversation from the front page!
Non the less, the facts are the facts, and PM Davis hard line shenanigan’s have landed him in the same position as President Ruto of Kenya and for the same reasons.
Just like Ruto, Davis has allowed himself to be a bought and paid for puppet of the United States!
TalRussell 5 months, 3 weeks ago
In keeping with the heavy-handed aggressiveness towards the colony's Shopkeepers'.-- Is it the governing party's intention to increase the cost of Study by a Value Added Tax (VAT) of !0% applicable to all fees related to Tuition. -- Including Ancillary Education Services' Fees. -- Yes?
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