Unfortunately, it is not in the mindset of the PLP to relinquish power prematurely. Despite the complete sow's ear they are making of governing The Bahamas, I predict the party will cling to power until the last day of its five year term. PGC and the cabinet know that they have no hope of being re-elected - unfortunately that will only cause them to pursue their own interests with even more gusto before the electorate gets the chance to punish them at the ballot box. A dying regime that has a selfish and vindictive mindset is always dangerous and I fear the damage that might be done to The Bahamas these next three years. I would be delighted to be proved wrong but with the PLP's track record in government, I just don 't see it. This country needs the hope of a new party energized by fresh young leaders of vision and integrity who will put self interest and egos aside and make decisions for the good of the country. The thought of another Christie v Ingraham election campaign is just too painful to contemplate

Unfortunately, it is not in the mindset of the PLP to relinquish power prematurely. Despite the complete sow's ear they are making of governing The Bahamas, I predict the party will cling to power until the last day of its five year term. PGC and the cabinet know that they have no hope of being re-elected - unfortunately that will only cause them to pursue their own interests with even more gusto before the electorate gets the chance to punish them at the ballot box. A dying regime that has a selfish and vindictive mindset is always dangerous and I fear the damage that might be done to The Bahamas these next three years. I would be delighted to be proved wrong but with the PLP's track record in government, I just don 't see it. This country needs the hope of a new party energized by fresh young leaders of vision and integrity who will put self interest and egos aside and make decisions for the good of the country. The thought of another Christie v Ingraham election campaign is just too painful to contemplate.

Persons who don't pay taxes when they can afford to show no respect for their country nor their fellow citizens. The people of The Bahamas need to mature and understand that citizenship carries a responsibility to pay one's dues. Those of the political elite who abuse their position are a disgrace to themselves, their country and the God that so many of them purport to love and honour. What a joke !

Because he wants to take the heat of his party and perpetuate the myth that people who don't pay taxes and act in a generally dishonest way are just ordinary Bahamians hustling to get by. Good, honest hard working people of The Bahamas need to stand up and reject politicians like Gibson at the ballot box. Why do we continually elect parliamentarians who affront our intelligence? Therein lies the problem - there are too few educated Bahamians who can see through Gibson and the rest of the political elite. There are too many people who will cast their vote for a fridge and a tee shirt instead of looking at the bigger picture. This could be a great little country but it is being destroyed by politicians out to feather their own nest and that of their cronies. Sad so sad.

"With the millions of dollars still overdue, State Finance Minister Michael Halkitis admitted yesterday, that while more than $500 million is a hefty sum to go after, the government simply does not have sufficient man power or equipment to control its level of tax collection."

Am I missing something here? If government collects even a fraction of the outstanding taxes the revenue will more than pay for the cost of additional resources and equipment needed to pursue it. What a totally lame mindset.

Miller is speaking purely as a politician not as someone with any grasp of the argument as to whether privatization of BEC is the right choice for The Bahamas. The fact of the matter is that BEC is a drain on the Bahamian tax payer - everyone knows this. So the question is whether or not we the consumers should continue to suffer grossly inflated fuel bills in order to keep hundreds of people in jobs that are not needed or on exaggerated overtime. Privatization would allow shareholders to do the work that government is afraid to do while bringing in modernization and expertise. End result, better service and lower fuel bills. Government could achieve the same result by retaining ownership of BEC but does anyone seriously believe that it has the guts to take on the BEC Unions and deliver the cost cutting and changes in working practices that are so badly needed?

It is utterly beyond comprehension why ANY citizen or resident of The Bahamas is allowed to run up Property tax arrears of $100,000 far less an individual appointed to be the Government's VAT enforcer. Gibson and Roberts' attempts to play down this gross moral failing on the part of Lightbourne is really shameful but is exactly what we expect from this pair. Leslie Miller's assertion today that government ministers should not have to be transparent about whether or not they are tax delinquent tells you everything about how the political elite treat the electorate with sheer contempt. If Miller doesn't like being accountable then he should get out of politics.

This society is so sick that it can produce young men (off a conveyor belt it seems) who have no sense of humanity about them. Once upon a time each of these young punks was a baby who in a different environment, with different upbringing could have turned out to be a fine upstanding member of the community. We are all to blame for the society we have created.

If I understood him correctly, Geoffrey Lloyd in his radio show yesterday had stats claiming that on an annual basis, the Government of The Bahamas collects only 27% of all Taxes due to it!! Can that be correct? If so, why are Bahamians even tolerating the idea of VAT being introduced? Politicians should be run out of town for even suggesting VAT as a possible solution. The answer is clear: EVERY resident and citizen of the Bahamas needs to pay their taxes in full. If everyone does that then the fiscal deficit will disappear and there will be no need to punish the responsible citizens with this punitive consumption tax.

When asked whether or not he would also reveal delinquency among his own party members, Mr Gibson said: “They can disclose ours, I’m going to disclose theirs.

Is this not the most pathetic political posturing you have ever heard? There is no hope for The Bahamas when this is the attitude of the country's political elite. Bradley Roberts and Shane Gibson would be better just saying nothing over the Ishmael Lightbourne non payment of tax disclosure. You cannot defend the indefensible but these two attempt to do just that and in the process make themselves look foolish and immature.