This whole thing reeks of incompetence and lack of understanding of how life works. We have unqualified people in positions they have no business being in. For starters I thought we were all innocent until proven guilty? apparently not in the case of tax payment. when tax is involved we are all guilty until proven innocent in the Bahamas.
We have a situation where the people with these jobs to collect taxes do not understand their role and their rules and the laws that govern their activities. They think they are the new gestapo of the Bahamas. The actions admit that the DIR is in over their heads and don't know what they are doing. I would expect that the law allows for the DIR to request bank records from the Central Bank from the commercial banks which would very easily validate the tax return statements being made without having to barge down the door with guns a blazing. Al Capone was caught with tax evasion after years of avoiding conviction on any other charges. It looks the Bahamas Tax Authority don't have a clue and would not know how to catch Al if you gave them the roadmap.

Or is this really just an intimidation act to bully people into greasing the palms?
And why are businesses being told to pay taxes a year in advance? What if the economy tanks? what if new competition comes into the market? we all know that not a single part of the Bahamas Government (esp. BPL and BTC) are loathe to issue refunds... someone needs to get their knuckles wrapped and put in their place or fires will start. and it will lead to more criminal activity.

developers getting cart blanche approval on anything specifically including valuable coastal habitat but he talking about sustainable. keep pulling that leg because the other one already numb with laughter. How many new coastal projects underway? how about that massive wetland area in SE Nassau?

maybe people caught on to the fact that the motives may not be fully altruistic?

This the same set that complained when minnis admin sent aid down south back den?

how about car and boat license and registration?

financial disclosure. for the ones in the back

they were looking for hush money just like the old mob tactics of 'protection money' on the weekly basis. They were looking for that extra palm grease on top of the ridiculous demands. who in sound mind thinks it is perfectly acceptable to demand payment (tax) before the thing happened. How can one be expected to pay tax on a sale that may or may not occur? What if the economy tanks and sales slow dramatically? Has the govt ever actually issued a refund to anyone? How is it considered lawful to demand tax before the action. simply asinine and speaks volumes to the incompetence, basically says that DIR has little actual ability to enforce anything without gestapo tactics. Are they really that impotent?

it is exactly like a mob shakedown to collect the weekly 'protection money'. insidious and unacceptable. this is the kind of action you can expect to see in a struggling backward economy of a a backwater african nation this is not an example of 'leading forward thinking people focused progressive government. This is not progressive it is repressive and the parties new name is the RLP.

can we discuss the silly unfounded statements in your editorial of May 16th. if you do not take advil or tylenol, do not touch any pharmaceuticals, do not drink any alcohol or tea or eat any sugar (the most insidious drug in the world) then maybe your obviously biased statements could hold water.

how about that extremely lucrative supply contract that is guaranteed to be related to campaign contributions. that is why your bill is high. That and the continual appointment of who you know not what you know. stop talking nonsense Mr. Davis.