WHY ARE THEY STILL HERE?

And THIS is why these guys get paid the big bucks..."INTRODUCING Value Added Tax to the Bahamas would go “even smoother” if the opposition stands with the government instead of against it, New Zealand VAT expert Dr Don Brash said."...pure genius...why didn't we think of that..IDIOT. So basically everyone who has their doubts about VAT should just shut up and join the line of kissing the behinds of the people trying to ram VAT down our throats. Oh wait...the PLP MP's have been saying that all along, to stop objecting to it. We wouldn't HAVE to object to it if you went about it properly, cleaned up all the dirty laundry before hand and moved forward with a clean slate. Clean up the existing outstanding amounts due in the other revenue streams, present a clear and defined budget reduction plan, roll out the Freedom of Information Act, and stop just giving out multimillion dollar contracts to failed contractors. Then and only then, embark on a massive campaign on education about VAT. Have EVERYTHING you need ready to go so you can answer some very pointed and loaded questions from the concerned public. As a major business owner, I still don't know squat about exactly how it is meant to play out, no one has bothered to come to our business and review what systems we have in place, and make suggestions on the best way to link into this new VAT realm in the electronic age. Oh wait, let me guess...it's all going to be handled by paper pushers...OH WAIT!! I get it now...that's the 10,000 jobs!! Everyone will need to file unknown and undisclosed paperwork (still haven't seen the first concept of any forms out of them), they need an army of 10,000 staff to go through the various filings, and make sure some get filed appropriately, and make sure that other 'special ones' get filed into a back office somewhere and conveniently 'lost'. You HAVE to lay the groundwork FIRST, get EVERYTHING done...FIRST...before we take the plunge into VAT.

OMG...Former National leader Don Brash contemplated suicide after his private and public lives fell apart.

In his autobiography Incredible Luck published today, Brash reveals the toll on his marriage after he entered public life, and also lifts the lid on some long-standing secrets.

Among them is that he never intended serving out a full term as prime minister had he won in 2005 - and that he and John Key hatched a plan in a Blenheim motel room for Brash to hand over the reins to Key before the 2008 election.

Nowadays, Key doesn't return his calls, and Brash strongly suspects National plotted with Epsom MP John Banks to manoeuvre him out of the ACT leadership. He even questions whether that may have been the real reason for Key's determination to keep secret the so-called teapot tapes recording a conversation between him and Banks without their knowledge

As Proud says, "No new taxes until our government grows up and starts to act responsibly."

One thing I've not seen in all the VAT discussions is an estimate on how much money could be saved if government were to curb spending. Would we still need to have VAT under those circumstances?

The other thing that baffles me even more is how this government will collect VAT - given that they don't seem to be able to collect the taxes already on the books. Outstanding taxes need to be collected before raising new ones!

These clowns need to go back "Down Under".

Seriously, New Zealand has a significant export economy. That is why a VAT tax scheme makes sense there. The Bahamas exports nearly NOTHING!!!

When will someone get it. Without a significant export economy, VAT simply imposes a super complex reporting regime on everyone for NO PURPOSE whatsoever. A simple sales tax which is much more easily administered will work just as well.

Further I cannot agree more with the commentator above who points out that any government that cannot effectively collect a real property tax, is ipso facto incompetent to collect any other form of taxation. Implementation of a VAT tax in this country will prove an administrative nightmare and a total joke.

"INTRODUCING Value Added Tax to the Bahamas would go “even smoother” if the opposition stands with the government instead of against it, New Zealand VAT expert Dr Don Brash said."

"Dr Brash also added that the Deputy Leader of the Free National Movement, Loretta Butler Turner’s suggestion of payroll tax instead of VAT is not the best choice for the Bahamas."

Vel by dam, where does Christie find these genius's?

BRILLIANT!.....Absolutley, unquestionably the most profound deduction statements since the last couple of genius's Christie paid Millions to from the U.K. to advise us on gambling.

How much of MY MONEY is Christie paying these gentleman to parrot Christie's agenda?

Where are the "experts" from the remaining 99% of countries where VAT is a total failure?

Yes we do need more tax's....But I am not even partially convinced that VAT is the right way to go.

Christies two geniuses made matters even worse!

Whatever you do boy, you just better fall in line and agree with the government, you just gonna make things difficult if you oppose it. So let's not go down that path, just follow me, I know what I am doing!! BULL CRAP

These actors are pretending to knock payroll tax when New Zealand gets most of its tax revenue from income tax.

So, let me get this straight, OK? Just be quiet, don't ask inconvenient questions, and pass our New Zealand VAT and everything will be just peachy keen?

Is that it? That the Yellow Brick Road? Just want to make sure I understand this.

Thanks.

Silly me, here I'd spent most my sixty years believing that the power to tax is the power to destroy and that no society in history ever taxed itself into prosperity and that VAT taxes in particular harm everyone, business and customer alike. Silly me, what do I know? Guess we should all become like socialist Europe and New Zealand.