They can police the supermarkets as much as they want...assuming an item is not 'price controlled' they can charge whatever they want, government has no say in the matter assuming the product is not on that price control list.

I like policing. Police naturalized Bahamians if they open their mouth, police VAT, police supermarkets, that is what we are good at. So who is policing the criminals, the tax cheaters, the corrupt public servants, the police?

Very good points here

More lies VAT is a regressive tax.

"Penalties for failing to register for VAT, said BCCEC CEO Edison Sumner, include “fines and possible imprisonment according to the legislation. Fines could be as high as $250,000 in monetary fines and it could carry prison terms for those not compliant with new registration, he added." Please remind us of what the penalties are for MPs for failure to disclose assets/financials? For insider trading? For squandering the public purse?

Islandgirl you are in the wrong business. Consider a career change to the numbers boys' (n girlz) or as you point out, run for office.

what they should police is the shipping costs at arawak port development

but i also find it amazing that someone in the audience could not point out that only price controlled items can be policed.

I wonder whether jail services are subject to VAT too. So watch it, going to jail may result in a VAT invoice sent to your loved ones.

Dr Myles Munroe spoke of it best as reported by Candia Dames, he had a dream of a man in a casket holding onto the baton...I guess that's your answer

The main organization that needs a watchdog and policing for ripping off the Bahamian people is none other than our CORRUPT GOVERNMENT! I wonder how it must feel when 90% of the people perceive the organization you run/are part of as a thief and corrupt?

For the last 40 plus years the Government has always had an adequate stick to wield against unlawful behavior and non payment of taxes and fees, duties.
But instead of learning how to apply that stick,
they have opted to gain a bigger and bigger stick instead of learning how to administer with the one they have.
Welcome to the police state, where the Authorities persecute, prosecute and destroy at will all those who do not comply, not just with the law,but with their personal whim and demand.
Each will have their own little power play, dept. by department.
The days are coming when looking a Government minister/dept. head in the eye will get you jailed!
A well worn path the world over.
Government justify this progression which is caused by their own inability to govern under rule of law.
So they will govern by force.

^^ very well said ^^. Not far from a dictatorship. The Bahamian people better wake up!

Perry is so full of shit that his hair is brown. That is why he has to dye it black. What in the hell can Perry and the PLP police. I am waiting with "bated' breath to see him force Jones Communication and Mario's to pay Government arrears and sign up for VAT.

All of these issues are now sadly forgotten in this PLP smokescreen. They throwing so much shit at us that we dont have time to breathe!!!!!!!!!

if the business license is current, you get the vat registration
they will withhold your refunds to pay the rest of the stuff later

THE SIMPLE DEFENCE TO ANYONE CHARGED FOR NOT REIGSTERING FOR VAT PRIOR TO DECEMBER 31 ST: " Your honor, I do not plan to be in business come January 1, so I did not register for VAT." There's no rule, no law, no regulation that says you can't come back. So I have every right to come back". Lance Armstrong. Using taxes to punish the rich, in reality, punishes everyone because we are all interconnected. High taxes and excessive regulation and massive debt are not working.

Rand Paul add to that corruption and government wastage! Rogue economics is a sort of umbrella under which we find the criminal economy, the illegal economy, but also those gray areas, gray areas where there is not a proper regulation, where there is not legislation for the economy.

Loretta Napoleoni

READ BETWEEN THE LIES: It is not the Bahamas Government that is pushing for VAT. It is the international community. The US government, The IMF, The world bank. VAT is not just a tax, it is a tracking system to know who owns what, who they do business with, where they keep their monies, where they spend it..etc. So those foreigners, US citizens especially, who have assets hidden in the Bahamas will be uncovered eventually. Uncle Sam is gonna get ya a$$!

How late can you be? The prices are **already** up. They've been creeping while you were busy **not** policing

Prices are up not because of VAT but the cost of doing business is up. Despite all the blackouts and damages to equipment, and the lowest price for oil in a decade, BEC bills are up 10% over last year. Labor costs for food stores have increased because they will no longer hire persons with questionable status. The price of orange juice has increased almost 50 percent and lamb chops have more that doubled from $1.99 a pound to $4.79. Add another 7.5 Vat to these come January 1 and its back to noodles and sardines for most of the country.

Stay under the tin foil hat if you want to

Tin foil will cost too much to buy soon. Use grape leaf.............