for import retailers, vat is not complicated on any items for which duty was not changed, and the virtual ware house was created for them.

insurance was given extra time to prepare.

but real estate agents and medical services under insurance were not giving extra time to change their pricing strategy.

For medical care specifically, it will lead to many doctors collecting the full amount , rather than a copayment, then send patients to collect with the insurance companies.

They seriously need to reconsider VAT on private health care. If public is free of VAT, then private should be also. When Bahamians go abroad to seek medical care, are they going to charge VAT on them when they return? Demand to see their bills to add the appropriate VAT when they re-enter the country? What about for tests not available in the public sector, which are referred to the private sector? Persons will die from inability to pay. Health care is an ESSENTIAL SERVICE., already expensive and about to get even further out of reach. Instead of the hours waiting to see a public doc, we can now look forward to days. I bet the "governing party" did not even stop to think about that. You would think at least Halkitis would, considering he married a doctor and would have access to greater insight here. Christie and company are killing this country. These junior achievers need to go!

Junior achievers lol...I'm weak

> If public is free of VAT, then
> private should be also.

No. it is not free to all members of the public, only those listed below.
Furthermore, glasses and hearing aids are vatable.

From the Finance website:

> These services are only exempt from
> VAT when provided by a public health
> care facility and provided to a public
> patient.
>
> A public patient is a person who
> receives services free of charge at a
> public health care facility who is: a)
> indigent; b) a child under the age of
> eighteen years; c) a person of
> sixty-five years of age or over; d) a
> Bahamas Government employee; or e)
> entitled to receive such services free
> of charge under special criteria
> established by the Ministry of Health.

VAT is a poor choice for the country period. It is a lazy way for the government to collect tax that it doesnt have the stomach to collect itself..... as it is doing a poor job of collecting the present taxes on the book now.

Perry/Government................Dont beat the private sector with a stick that YOU are not willing to apply to your own ass.

A lack of education and a “cookie cutter approach" is not the main reason for the slow registration. Businesses and consumers simply DO NOT want this Tax. Simple! For businesses this tax is costly to implement and maintain; for consumers it will cost them a small fortune at the cash registers. No sane person is looking forward to a drastic increase in the cost of living - accept maybe those with the keys to the Public Treasury.

If the Government hacks would stop Flip flopping when asked serious procedural questions by Private sector concerns wanting to comply they might actually gain some respect and cooperation from the private sector.
As it stands now, there is some freelance "interpretation" going on by their own "Team" created by their own ignorance.
Not that their team brings any credibility to the table, being a few marginal accountants and far too rapidly promoted Customs officers.
It is the private sector which will police and collect for them, via a desire for self preservation!
Not giving the private sector one straight sensible story and set of rules is like playing soccer with goal posts on wheels and a square ball!
The VAT inspectors will just roam around like the VAT M'coute with clubs, kinda like price control on steroids.
After all is said and done, we will all pay for the Governments debts and their botched VAT job so instead of creating an enemy out of the private sector the Government should be begging for their input and help.

Definitely...from the get go, they did not want to hear or listen to ANYTHING the private sector had to say. It will be the same old routine, the honest businesses...the ones who were very vocal and wanting to discuss and provide feedback on VAT, they are the same ones that will be bending over backwards to comply with this mess, because they know if they step out of line one fraction of an inch, your 'M'coute' will beat them over the head with a sledge hammer...all the while turning a blind eye to the indiscretions of their friends, family and affiliations...from the word go, there should have been open and cooperative discussions...not just the we are going to ram it down your throat whether you like it or not approach...we are after all going to be the governments tax collector...you better play nice with your henchmen or they can betray you very easily.