Not good. <img src="http://s04.flagcounter.com/mini/kfoW/bg…" style="display:none">

Yep efforts of this kind will only succeed with an organized gigantic *Turn Out The March* effort. Facebook will not do it, it's hot outside.

This **BAHAMIAN** could **NOT** publicly protest against **VAT** because ***I didn’t even know about the protest, until it was too late!***

Where is the money to come from to pay all of the Civil Servants who want increases in pay and health Insurance>?. It is people with money who are starting all of the movements. I went in one store and they had a sign up that said " The Government increased the duty on eggs and that is why the eggs cost so much. These people increase prices every day. they never ever explain why. There are a whole lot of greedy merchants behind these movements. Let those who wish join the display and burn out all of their gas go, and see how it will profit them. They will have an empty gas tank and that is all .

they explained eggs because eggs are "price controlled", they cannot markup beyond a certain amount. this will minize the chance of people sending the govt inspectors there.

they increased the duty on eggs just after rainbow farms closed down, too little too late.

duty on chicken is 30%

the most common reason fro proce increase is the automatic increase in shipping costs.
i have questioned some prices at a pharmacy and at a household items store. In both stores, the store managers were kind enough to show me a computerised spreadsheet explaning how the prices are arrived at, the parameters are set by computer programms in major retailers.

being an avid amazon shopper, i often find the items cheaper locally.

it worries me that thre has been talk that the govt would shyt down amazon if they do not register to pay vat.

A lot of other reason does go into why prices on good increases. I do think some time it is greed from some of these merchants with their high a** mark up on goods. You have freight increases, first cost increases or VAT which will be introduce come next year. Cutting duty will not decrease cost on goods but look forward to good increasing when VAT is implemented.

The level of Ignorance surrounding taxation in general astounds me.
All taxes the world over from a business perspective
are a cost of doing business.
just like the first cost of goods, shipping, insuring those goods,
brokerage and duty on ALL THE ABOVE.
All these costs, and salaries, Business license,Power and water bills, vehicle maintenance,
Licensing of those vehicles, and ALL THE other COSTS of doing business
end up factored into what we pay for both goods and services.
Taking the long running animosity we as a whole have for anyone successful
in this country, whether along racial lines or wealth out of the picture,
if the costs increase, the price increases.
If the taxes increase, the costs increase.
VAT hits every stage of manufacturing, supply and sale, which for us means import and resale.
However, VAT has the distinction of requiring serious record keeping,
something that Bahamians have never before had to do, nor learn how to do.
( Save trying not to lose drivers licenses passports and documents related to property etc)
VAT also has its own detailed penalties system which goes far beyond our current law (unobserved) and apparently accepted practice ( which judging from the recent leaks is horrendous, seems few pay their bills or taxes!) under which The Government has given itself the power to seize both assets and money, and is proposing the power to restrict travel until satisfied.
In short, VAT if implemented in January has the potential to hit everyone hard through the increased cost of business but most importantly the general state of unreadiness of both Government and the public at large.
Like trying to enter a formula 1 race track with a race in progress in a Chevrolet Aveo,
there is going to be much pain!