Some believe that we have all contributed in one way or another to the financial mess The Bahamas is in – by evading taxes, by demanding benefits, by voting for unrealistic political platforms, by conceding to outrageous union demands, by providing jobs for the boys, by tolerating education failures, by being unproductive, and on and on.
But a new tax system is a pretty radical move for the Bahamas.
So the process would have been much easier if the government had – from the very beginning – substantively addressed the inability to collect existing taxes, implemented a transparent programme of spending curbs, and published the economic analyses it obviously has access to.
Perhaps if the public sector had sat down with the private sector at the outset to determine the dimensions of the crisis and the possible responses to it, we would not be going through this bout of hysteria now.
Perhaps if the government had published the draft legislation, regulations and tariff schedule early in the day, people would not be as confused and angry as they are now.
The poor communication of these issues is clearly demonstrated by the fact that the trade unions have yet to digest the message that we are facing a financial crisis. And while the business sector grudgingly acknowledges the need for more government revenue, most would prefer some other form of tax.
