This government is too busy trying to make everything 'look' good when it really is not. This country is an unofficial dictatorship in the sense where they rather communicate only with business partners, appointed committees, and coalitions rather than the people who actually voted them in. We the people still do not have much clear information on how the Bahamas is going to implement VAT and manage it (despite the website), it all looks good but if they cant manage court documents or collect property tax, how is this going to effectively work? They are simply patting the shoulders of all Property Tax delinquents because they still dont know how to collect it. What happened to old $110,000+ delinquent VAT president, and what is his current status? How can Halkitis say 'we will not be bullied or threatened' when they are doing the same exact thing to us citizens with this implementation? They are rushing and forcing this on us because of their misappropriation of the Country's money. There is Cause & Effect. The VAT Cause is going to affect businesses to the point where they will have to down size obviously affecting products, prices, and employees. Price Control regulation is not being regulated. Prices are already high and we were told the lie that minimum wage in the private sector 175 and 210 in the public sector which I believe is the opposite and somewhat less. Crime will rise, Unemployment will rise, and wages will decrease. That is the cost of this implementation along with high business taxes, and an already slaved peoples. Anything else..?

They're fighting a losing battle.

just yesterday I checked, and milk was 8.49. VAT is doing nothing for us but contributing more to unemployment. Now the government is embarrassed that we have no other main source of income besides tourism yet they continue to dish out excuse after excuse while not solving the growing problem that they promised to fix. After VAT you will see a dire situation here in the Bahamas almost like a depression where it will take years for revenue to rise before more implementations can be made because of our high debts. They cant expect to employ everyone out of work in the tourism industry, thats why I have no faith in Bahamar because that will only secure a small portion of jobs, very small. We need agriculture and industrial businesses to aid in both income and jobs. They let the Morton Salt company come here and take all of our salt from our best salt flat that could have been in export to business and revenue for us. This government and the chaos now happening is a result of all the things the government did not do to promote a lazy, slack, irresponsible lifestyle for Bahamians. Now we are reaping what we sowed because Bahamians groomed into slackness do not know the proper way of doing business or conducting business, thats why we will forever be modern day slaves to the investor.

and therefore we, the hard working, slaved peoples must suffer for their inability to collect taxes and avoid this whole VAT foolishness. They are looking to raise 200m from VAT with 500+m in outstanding taxes. The PLP missed the train since Pindlings retirement and ever since they have been hijacking rides to the crumbling destination.

BRAVO, the shipyard is good look for Bahamas, what a challenging endeavor it was but the reward is very great. The only bummer is, it is not Bahamian or Governemnt owned, but hell if it was it probably wouldnt be where it is today.

Tal you can ease up off the public floggin, Right now I think Bran would smartly implement the death penalty to supercede is hasty floggn remarks. Public flogging in front of rawson square is a bio-hazard and thats when youll see the UN invading our country for 'proper' control. Brans remarks were irresponsible at the time, but honestly when it all comes down to paper and implementation he will humanely have second thoughts.. the risk is too great vs. the reward.

They bit their own tongue dishing out excuse after excuse. They just solidified the reason as to why we should not pay taxes.

Manpower? We have thousands without jobs, that can be manpower there, but then again, we aint got no money to pay them and minimum wage in this day and age is a joke. They should just say They aint got no money instead of blaming the people and taxing them for every little thing, we are already spending double on what a product is actually worth and they also want to tax.

Maybe these politicians should disclose their tax information to prove to us that they are paying taxes. They have to lead by example, how can Ishmael be owing 7000 one day and 110,000 then next ? It should be a standard for politicians/candidates to disclose most of their business as it relates to taxes, and business background for transparency purposes to avoid all this dishonest mix up, so that their is no secrecy and more credibility. The candidates in America have to do this in order to run. This government is full of loop holes. They have to lead by example, they cant expect us peasants to be taxed for everything if they are the leading tax dodgers.

@rory You are just as bad as the uneducated who think they know everything, dont have a say if you dont support. Spreading your ignorance is only showing more and more why it shouldnt be illegal. You have made not one valid point yet, but you hate it so much. The point of being against something is understanding why you are, a biased person is an ignorant person.