Yes. Dr. Minnis seems to think on almost any matter in public life that when the FNM was in power just a few months ago - everything was made out of roses, ice cream, topped with cherries and whipped-cream.

It is TRULY unbelievable to read some of the statements he has made in the past 12 months. Did he just arrive in the Bahamas "on the boat" 12 months ago? It really seems as if. He has no sense of history whatsoever.

I am not so much a supporter of the PLP, but not much the FNM either. From a neutral view, reading him week after week, it is just amazing.

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Six years is too long for gun possession. Three years would have been enough. We are filling up our prisons by charging people too much for petty crimes. Three years in prison is not a joke or a picnic.

So does Section 23 of the Act mean that when the Act comes into force - if you "qualify" to register (by virtue of sales over $100,000 etc) that you need to raise all your prices by 15% and NOT charge VAT, then apply to register. After your registration is approved, then you need to mark your prices back down to the original amounts and start to charge VAT. The additional monies you charged while your application was being processed are now due to be paid as if you were registered.

You were not able to collect VAT while applying - so you cannot make your cash register say $x + $vat - but you needed to raise your prices enough so that you would have the money to pay the VAT retroactively as this section (23) requires.

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Excellent points, and great overall presentation, however, I do not understand your calculations here :

Landed cost: $145

#Retail price to customer with a 35 per cent gross profit: $223.30

To me 35% of $145 is $50.75 which when added to the $145
gives a retail price of $145 + $50.75 = $195.75

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Good points. Perhaps the new Law on VAT should require a referendum to be conducted after 3 years if the deficit is not cut in half, and then another 3 years be cut in half again and so on and so on - or else a referendum kicks in.

Government also needs to explain to the people that the choices are either to pay VAT (or some other high tax in its place) - OR to have the Bahamian dollar devalued against the US$ - and have exchange control at the ports of entry just like in Cuba - where foreigners cannot bring US$ into the country, but instead must exchange them for B$ - but then they can exchange whatever B$ they have upon exit back into their foreign currency.

Bahamians, however, would not be able to get US$ on the street - but only through the banks via stamps in passports and through central bank approval to pay foreign invoices. Also via credit card usage - in which the exchange will take place like it does now automatically (except of course the rate will be 50% in stead of 99.5%)

We will be paid in B$, not US$ - so it will be a long time before you can go on that trip to Miami or order that flat screen from Amazon.

It's a choice - and we have to make the choice, or it will be made for us (and in that case it will be the 50% option by default).

Like the article says, though, there is one other option - and that is to cut spending. But who wants to cut spending on public clinics and public schools for illegal immigrants? Nobody. And even if somebody did - it is against International Law.

Stop sticking up for poor people. They need to learn to not be poor.

Why don't we just pass a law that says any illegal immigrant can come into the Bahamas and register with the Island Administrator and get papers and a passport, and then proceed to any Bahamian's house and issue a Writ of Vacancy and order them and their children out of their house - and then take possession of their house and car.

They can have one acre of Crown land in addition, and any vehicle on any car lot they desire just by presenting their credentials from the Administrator as being newly landed immigrants. They also simply show this document to BEC each month and their power bill is abolished. In addition require grocery stores to provide up to $100 per week per person in groceries by anyone showing this landed immigrant card. Also give them the right for their children to attend private school free by presenting this card.

if we did all of this, would we then be relieved of being branded as racists and not-compassionate, uncaring xenophobes? Would we then be allowed to live in the bushes free from name calling and labeling? Would we then not be "haters"? If we give up our country and our rights completely would we then be acceptable in the eyes of the United Nations?

Tal what are you talking about legally? Nobody is talking about legally - they're talking illegally.

Also understand that Haiti has 12 million people which is 48 times the 250,000 Bahamians in this country (our pop is over 300,000 but that's not Bahamians). We cannot absorb that many people and give them free medicine, free schooling, meals on wheels, free housing, free land, and free Haitian Flags to celebrate Haitian Flag Day with. There is just not enough money.

I've said before if Haiti would agree to send all haitians to the Bahamas, and surrender the land of Haiti to us for all Bahamians who want to prosper to go there a live (ie. a total swap of countries) I would agree with that.

Haiti has fertile soil, and all its land is together unlike our disjoint islands. Within 5 years we Bahamians (living in Haiti) would be so prosperous that Haitians will be coming in boats from the Bahamas back to Haiti to look for work, get free clinics, free schooling and free everything. The flow direction would be reversed.

You think we can convince Minister Mitchel to table this idea?

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