Not too long ago there was a Bahamian who owned a T-Shirt factory. Unlike the print shops that import blank T-shirts and just print them, he brought in material and made the shirts. In addition he made and printed sports uniforms and wraps and items for the tourist market. He use to say they put him out of school early because they say he couldn't learn. His business was successful and lasted for many years. The problem he had was that every election he would make thousands of T'shirts for the political parties with the promise he would get paid 'after the election.' And in almost every instance he got paid for one set of the shirts or part but not for the other. The last time he did it, the loss was so great it sent him into bankruptcy. Maybe he couldn't learn
When government first proposed to remove duty off clothing and shoes, the intention was to to help rescue the many clothing and shoe merchants who were going out of business due to stiff competition from online shopping and persons travelling abroad to shop. And to become more competitive, these stores will have to reduce their prices. But what happened is someone in the Ministry of Finance, who obviously was not informed or did not concern itself with what the intended results of the change in duty was, decided to hijack and sabotage the program and use it as a whipping stick, requiring merchants to come and bow every time they want to bring in goods and get duty free exemptions. So because of the ignorance and putting more red tape on merchants additional reporting requirements, some have decided to reject the government's plan and continue paying the customs duties in the regular manner. But what the government has admitted but failed to realize, is that there is a large volume of l importers who bring volumes of goods into the country and pay no duty or vat on them. Most of them clothing and shoes And so through governments own flawed policy and increase in red tape, they have now given these people an advantage in the market place. Some of these persons bring goods directly from China and their prices were below Miami's wholesale prices. And now persons who do not want to get caught up in the additional red tape and requirements the ministry of Finance is requiring to get exemptions will eventually buy goods from these individuals as a means for their business to survive. So if government would have have simply removed the duty off clothing and shoes like it was intended, rather than burying it down in red tape and cherry picking, not only would prices come down, but it would have put a squeeze of those who were paying no duty all along by making more businesses effectively able to compete with them. It is wrong to say prices will not come down. Two Examples: When customs duties were reduced or removed of fans, the price of a Lasko 18 inch fan came down from $55.00 to $45.00. The price of a 16 inch came down from $$50.00 to $45.00. In the case of car tires,since the reduction in duties on new tires less people are buying used tires. So the price of new tires did come down. And because of used tires having to be sterilized. and other requirements, used tires are no longer a great buy, compared to new tires and the environment is not being filled up as rapidly with used tires. So rather than trying to run the country out of a cigar box, government, more specifically finance, should have simply removed the duties off clothing and shoes as was the original intention. Market forces would definitely bring the prices down. Rather they try to make appear that they were doing such a great and marvelous favor for merchants when clothing and shoes have been duty free in most Caribbean countries for near a decade or more.
If you read correctly, Sebas said they needed the time , not only to adjust their software to accept the tax, but also to assess the impact of the tax on their businesses. And, according to him, in the past the government would say one thing, when it comes to taxing the web shops, and do something completely different.
"The Armor of God 10 *Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 *Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God*.*
If you take most of what the prime minister said and place under the photo of the young man who was gunned down and shot 18 times by the police, it would all be relevant. .
.And the King will answer them, **'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'**
But the king said not a word. . "The least of the brothers and sisters of Jesus are those persons who are vulnerable. They are the socially, psychologically or economically disadvantaged, such as the sick, the poor, the mentally and physically disabled. ... Like Jesus, his followers should be concerned about the needs of the poor or underprivileged."
A fireman will tell you when you want to put a fire out, you cant just stand and spray water on the flames. You must get to the base of the fire and saturate the material that feeds the flame, or otherwise seek to starve the fire of oxygen. So it is with crime..You cannot seek to fight one faction of it and leave the other untouched.
And for all the emotion the prime minister displayed: demonstrates how important it is to bring criminals, murders especially to justice. There are over 1,000 Bahamian families who have been affected directly by murder over the past decade. And they too are crying out for justice and for closure, most of them. And they too must exercise restraint. . **"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, 4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me."**
Especially when they know who the perpetrator of the crime is: Who robbed or murdered or executed their loved one. " **Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God**.
Justice must not only be done, but it must be seen to be done, and fairly for one and for all. "John 10:10 New International Version (NIV) 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." "“A thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but I come to give life that is full and good.” (John 10:10) ... been killed. The thief in this context is the Devil, also known as Satan or Lucifer. ... ***A lot of murders are as a result of Satan's influence. Even today .***.." "Ephesians 6:10-18 New International Version (NIV)
Advice to anyone wishing to get into this field. DON’T.. For some reason they eventually find some infraction to nail you with then hit you with a heavy fine, long suspension or a life long ban from trading. Guess wrecking the country’s offshore banking wasn’t blood enough.
This ain't the same Dionisio D'Aguilar who was doubling up and tripling the tax on the web shops aye..claiming they was making too much money..well muddoes what hypocrite! And the fact is Tourism hasn't but barely reached its half way mark yet, much less its peak. What substantial investment has the government made in the tourism plant in the last decade? What new avenues has D'Augilar and his ministry explored to grow the tourist product. if fact your government shut down the only single, major international event instead of trying to see how to better organize it and make it less costly, if not profitable. Did Atlantis cancel its summer basketball? no because they know the value of it and the value of having an annual event and drawing repeat visitors. There are presently 192 new cruise ships being built. The world aint getting no larger so some will eventually come here..Are you ready?
If your ignorance prevents you from mourning, then carry on smartly. Why you want to beat up on me for a crime I did not commit ..total ignorance! We mourned in slavery for 400 years and still continue to shed tears for inequality and injustice. injustices .like this one...so what makes you so holier than thou? Maybe the log in your eye? Everyone likes to holler "bloody murder", but did Cain ever confess to the first one? No, but he complained that the punishment put on him was too harsh. Today we cry that the bloody murderers are getting away with a slap on their wrists. As it was it in the beginning..amen.
@Tetelestal... there were close to 1,000 or maybe more Bahamians murdered over the past decade. Many of they left young daughters and sons and mothers and family members and friends and coworkers to morn and to continue life with that void and empty space being there... forever! And the problem is we, both as individuals and as a country drenched in blood, cry out and holler and scream when something like this happens. Then we go back to sitting on our hands. Sorry but no brownies for you.
John says...
Not too long ago there was a Bahamian who owned a T-Shirt factory. Unlike the print shops that import blank T-shirts and just print them, he brought in material and made the shirts. In addition he made and printed sports uniforms and wraps and items for the tourist market. He use to say they put him out of school early because they say he couldn't learn. His business was successful and lasted for many years. The problem he had was that every election he would make thousands of T'shirts for the political parties with the promise he would get paid 'after the election.' And in almost every instance he got paid for one set of the shirts or part but not for the other. The last time he did it, the loss was so great it sent him into bankruptcy. Maybe he couldn't learn
On 'Tap in' to youth for economic success
Posted 14 September 2018, 5:16 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
When government first proposed to remove duty off clothing and shoes, the intention was to to help rescue the many clothing and shoe merchants who were going out of business due to stiff competition from online shopping and persons travelling abroad to shop. And to become more competitive, these stores will have to reduce their prices. But what happened is someone in the Ministry of Finance, who obviously was not informed or did not concern itself with what the intended results of the change in duty was, decided to hijack and sabotage the program and use it as a whipping stick, requiring merchants to come and bow every time they want to bring in goods and get duty free exemptions. So because of the ignorance and putting more red tape on merchants additional reporting requirements, some have decided to reject the government's plan and continue paying the customs duties in the regular manner. But what the government has admitted but failed to realize, is that there is a large volume of l importers who bring volumes of goods into the country and pay no duty or vat on them. Most of them clothing and shoes And so through governments own flawed policy and increase in red tape, they have now given these people an advantage in the market place. Some of these persons bring goods directly from China and their prices were below Miami's wholesale prices. And now persons who do not want to get caught up in the additional red tape and requirements the ministry of Finance is requiring to get exemptions will eventually buy goods from these individuals as a means for their business to survive. So if government would have have simply removed the duty off clothing and shoes like it was intended, rather than burying it down in red tape and cherry picking, not only would prices come down, but it would have put a squeeze of those who were paying no duty all along by making more businesses effectively able to compete with them. It is wrong to say prices will not come down. Two Examples: When customs duties were reduced or removed of fans, the price of a Lasko 18 inch fan came down from $55.00 to $45.00. The price of a 16 inch came down from $$50.00 to $45.00. In the case of car tires,since the reduction in duties on new tires less people are buying used tires. So the price of new tires did come down. And because of used tires having to be sterilized. and other requirements, used tires are no longer a great buy, compared to new tires and the environment is not being filled up as rapidly with used tires. So rather than trying to run the country out of a cigar box, government, more specifically finance, should have simply removed the duties off clothing and shoes as was the original intention. Market forces would definitely bring the prices down. Rather they try to make appear that they were doing such a great and marvelous favor for merchants when clothing and shoes have been duty free in most Caribbean countries for near a decade or more.
On Apparel, shoe prices can't match Customs cut, Govt is warned
Posted 14 September 2018, 4:07 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
If you read correctly, Sebas said they needed the time , not only to adjust their software to accept the tax, but also to assess the impact of the tax on their businesses. And, according to him, in the past the government would say one thing, when it comes to taxing the web shops, and do something completely different.
On Sebas: We require 10-12 months for 5% patron levy
Posted 14 September 2018, 12:46 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
"The Armor of God
10 *Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 *Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God*.*
On ‘PURSUE HIM TO BOUNDS OF HELL’: Minnis rails at aide’s killing - he must be caught
Posted 14 September 2018, 10:24 a.m. Suggest removal
John says...
If you take most of what the prime minister said and place under the photo of the young man who was gunned down and shot 18 times by the police, it would all be relevant.
.
.And the King will answer them, **'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'**
But the king said not a word.
.
"The least of the brothers and sisters of Jesus are those persons who are vulnerable. They are the socially, psychologically or economically disadvantaged, such as the sick, the poor, the mentally and physically disabled. ... Like Jesus, his followers should be concerned about the needs of the poor or underprivileged."
A fireman will tell you when you want to put a fire out, you cant just stand and spray water on the flames. You must get to the base of the fire and saturate the material that feeds the flame, or otherwise seek to starve the fire of oxygen. So it is with crime..You cannot seek to fight one faction of it and leave the other untouched.
And for all the emotion the prime minister displayed: demonstrates how important it is to bring criminals, murders especially to justice. There are over 1,000 Bahamian families who have been affected directly by murder over the past decade. And they too are crying out for justice and for closure, most of them. And they too must exercise restraint.
.
**"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me."**
Especially when they know who the perpetrator of the crime is: Who robbed or murdered or executed their loved one.
" **Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God**.
Justice must not only be done, but it must be seen to be done, and fairly for one and for all.
"John 10:10 New International Version (NIV)
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." "“A thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but I come to give life that is full and good.” (John 10:10) ... been killed. The thief in this context is the Devil, also known as Satan or Lucifer. ... ***A lot of murders are as a result of Satan's influence. Even today .***.." "Ephesians 6:10-18 New International Version (NIV)
On ‘PURSUE HIM TO BOUNDS OF HELL’: Minnis rails at aide’s killing - he must be caught
Posted 14 September 2018, 10:18 a.m. Suggest removal
John says...
More than half the businesses on the Family islands don't even take credit cards...the power plant gets burned down..just saying
On 'Brick and mortar' banks becoming less cost viable
Posted 13 September 2018, 7:39 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
Advice to anyone wishing to get into this field. DON’T.. For some reason they eventually find some infraction to nail you with then hit you with a heavy fine, long suspension or a life long ban from trading. Guess wrecking the country’s offshore banking wasn’t blood enough.
On Bahamas broker fined $35k over Canada breach
Posted 13 September 2018, 4:20 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
This ain't the same Dionisio D'Aguilar who was doubling up and tripling the tax on the web shops aye..claiming they was making too much money..well muddoes what hypocrite! And the fact is Tourism hasn't but barely reached its half way mark yet, much less its peak. What substantial investment has the government made in the tourism plant in the last decade? What new avenues has D'Augilar and his ministry explored to grow the tourist product. if fact your government shut down the only single, major international event instead of trying to see how to better organize it and make it less costly, if not profitable. Did Atlantis cancel its summer basketball? no because they know the value of it and the value of having an annual event and drawing repeat visitors. There are presently 192 new cruise ships being built. The world aint getting no larger so some will eventually come here..Are you ready?
On Tourism 'cannot maintain' double digit growth pace
Posted 13 September 2018, 3:02 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
If your ignorance prevents you from mourning, then carry on smartly. Why you want to beat up on me for a crime I did not commit ..total ignorance! We mourned in slavery for 400 years and still continue to shed tears for inequality and injustice. injustices .like this one...so what makes you so holier than thou? Maybe the log in your eye? Everyone likes to holler "bloody murder", but did Cain ever confess to the first one? No, but he complained that the punishment put on him was too harsh. Today we cry that the bloody murderers are getting away with a slap on their wrists. As it was it in the beginning..amen.
On Gunned down in front of his little girl
Posted 13 September 2018, 2:46 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
@Tetelestal... there were close to 1,000 or maybe more Bahamians murdered over the past decade. Many of they left young daughters and sons and mothers and family members and friends and coworkers to morn and to continue life with that void and empty space being there... forever! And the problem is we, both as individuals and as a country drenched in blood, cry out and holler and scream when something like this happens. Then we go back to sitting on our hands. Sorry but no brownies for you.
On Gunned down in front of his little girl
Posted 13 September 2018, 1:29 p.m. Suggest removal