If anything spreads faster in the Bahamas than a virus, it will be the belief that, “Because of this emergency, I don’t have to pay my taxes, or my electric bill, or my water bill.”

Darn it !

I didn't know I don't have to pay my water bill too.

There must be some Truth to what Mr: Davis has said.?? according to the reaction of Mr:
Turnquest.

There are so many unemployed people looking to the Government for assistance.
The Government does not have any money growing on trees.

The Bahamian people will have to face these facts.

Truth and Davis in the same sentence. Now you done it. Please, Davis is only trying to create havoc.

Running low on money already. No surprises there. A population that depends so much in tourism,and expects the government to solve all their problems. A large number of civil servants that at this moment supposedly is " working from home" whatever that means.The shutdown of the economy is not a long or even medium term solution. By the time any other industries develop,IF they develop,it will be too late. Everyday that passes the government is running out of choices,so something is gotta give.

Yup. How does a Customs inspector or a Road Traffic agent “work from home”?

Half of them who supposedly working from home won't even respond to an email. Go figure.

No one is robbing Peter.

It is we getting robbed to pay these maharaja civil sevants.

In one breath Turnquest says:

> “Again, we have to continue to rob Peter to pay Paul. It’s just the reality of where we are, and whenever you’re in those circumstances it’s uncomfortable but that does not mean the liability goes away. It means you defer it, and that’s always an uncomfortable position to be in.”

And then in the next breath he says:

> “The Government of The Bahamas has not put forth any proposal or recommendation for a reduction in the public service payroll. It is unfortunate that the leader of the Opposition has sought to add additional anxiety to a country that is already fearful of the health crisis, and what that may mean for their families, as well as the financial crisis."

Why should lowly paid private sector employers and employees (the so called "Peters") lose their businesses and jobs, and at the same time be robbed by government so that government can continue to pay the very privileged government employees (the so called "Pauls") their full pay and full benefits? Why shouldn't elected officials and all government employees be made to fairly share in the severe pain of this grave economic crisis by incurring at least a 50% pay cut? And the same goes for the management teams and employees of all taxpayer subsidized government corporations, SPVs, etc.

Both Minnis and Turnquest need to quickly put petty politics aside and accept the harsh reality, as Brave Davis already does, that now is not the time to play political games and try 'buy' voter support. Government employees (most of whom are no longer working) must be made to shoulder their fair share of the pain in this most severe economic crisis. That's just plain financial common sense.

If Minnis and Turnquest are so concerned about the resulting impact in the loss of spending power in the local economy, then let them arrange for the truly needy who have lost their jobs and have no income at all to receive the financial help they deserve by reducing the government payroll in a a big and meaningful way.

Minnis and Turnquest must accept that no financial pain for the civil work force means no gain for the country, and possibly risks triggering explosive discontentment born out of great unfairness. The sooner they begin wearing their thinking caps the better, because the clock is all too quickly down on meaningful measures that can still be taken in an orderly way.

The government has not even cut any civil servants salary or positions and Davis already making noise. Imagine if the government does cut each by a percentage. Davis would be all over the news talking about how uncaring the government is.

The reality is while a cut may be needed, one needs to get idiot unions on board for that to happen. And which union you know is for the good of the country and not themselves?

Under a declaration of emergency no one needs to be asked to get on board with anything, especially union leaders of all people. The entire civil work force simply needs to be told by the Supreme Authority that starting with the next government pay day they're all gonna get half of what they were getting before until such time that our country's economy allows for more to be paid. And all members of parliament should lead by example and have their pay, allowances and other benefits immediately cut by 50%. It's just patently wrong that only the Peters in the private sector should suffer while the public sector Pauls feel no financial pain.

P.S. Healthcare professionals and workers actually treating (having direct exposure to) covid-19 patients should be exempt from the pay cuts, but only to the extent they earn less than a certain minimum amount.

You can't cut civil service salaries (i.e. not meaning "double dippers"/ "contract workers", but true civil servants). You cut their salaries and the economy is absolutely finished. Cant believe people are still trying to justify this nonsense.

A disorderly way of making meaningful measures has an element of appeal to some, as well. Which is a more likely scenario?

Mudda, as someone (you) who once had - maybe still do have - political ambitions, I strongly suggest that if you want to continue in politics that you surround yourself with a good economist. What you are proposing here (reducing civil service during a pandemic) is so contrary to hundreds of years of documented academic research. It is like suggesting that the earth is flat...no hyperbole. If you cut or reduce the civil service salaries, you will plummet your country into the dark ages. Crime, devaluation of dollar, hyper inflation (if we are lucky!) would all result. It appears that you are trying to be "political" and not "economic". Don't go down that road, my friend. Now, before you retort with a smart ass, "I know everything answer", I suggest you do some quick research to see if what I am saying is accurate. Then, happy to engage in a civil discourse.

**Dangerously baffling not see a devaluation colony's dollar** when a colony's comrade finance minister, steps forward publicly admit that his ministerial work days are chiefly occupied tying figure out how long he can continue be robbing from **Peter to pay Paul** out the little revenue stream **still flowing** into PopoulacesPurse...yet finance minister has sworn an oath that **he has no intention of reducing government's payroll, nor benefits, nor cutting number workers,** despite an epidemic of dwindling revenues.
Remember, tis the crown minister's own **admissions and omissions** that should be bothering to your mind, not mine, okay. Nod once for yeah it makes sense, twice for no it sure hell, doesn't?

Regardless of the Minister's protestations, government cannot avoid looking at civil wage roll as the first and most obvious big ticket expense item to be reviewed. As Mudda says, you cannot expect those in the private sector to endure all the pain when civil servants remain protected. For those civil servants who are unable to carry out their duties from home then you cannot expect the private sector to carry them for any significant period of time. Who will be carrying the straw vendors, the taxi drivers, the shop assistants on Bay Street? So like it or not, government is going to have to do something about that civil service wage roll even if the Minister doesn't want to admit it at this moment.

Well said.

There is nothing well or said about this. And, quoting Mudda on financial or economic matters is not the best strategy. You cannot "cut" civil service salaries. It will exacerbate the destruction of our economy and will, without questions, plummet us into a level that we do not want to be. This is very much basic economics 101...it really is. It is amazing that people actually think this, worse that people actually think this is a good idea.

While I agree with you, name the unions that will stand up and support that? Already the nurses union crying about shifts and money not even touched yet.

It was a good ride while it lasted but the country has now run out of fiscal rope. After 47 years of the government borrowing millions of dollars every year and then also using nib to purchase its own debt, time is now up and the day of reckoning is upon us, financial reckoning that is. Everything has now changed and our lives will never be as they once were. The fiscal hurricane is bearing down as a category 5 and we have no time left to build or install even one shutter.

After biting the bullet and paying business license fees, the automated system does not generate a printable certificate, and I have found "Reaching out" to Inland Revenue" 100% impossible because no one answers the phone!

We are dammed if we do and dammed if don't!

Additionally, as a small business owner, there is no government financial assistance available. How are we supposed to survive?

"*robbing Peter to pay Paul*"
The new name for international transfers must be *Peter*