Legislation to strengthen the domestic business environment went under the microscope during a Town Meeting on Tuesday hosted by Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Zhivargo Laing. Scheduled to come into effect on January 1, the new Business Licence Act was described as “a pivotal component of the Government’s comprehensive and integrated economic growth strategy.”
“We are seeking very much to create an environment in this country where doing business is an easier and competitive proposition,” said Mr Laing.
Held at Sheraton Cable Beach Resort, a wide cross-section of the business community attended the discussion. According to the Act, no person shall carry on a business within The Bahamas without the grant of a licence duly issued in accordance with the requirements of the Act.
“It is fully our expectation that the new regime will make it easier, faster and more efficient to start and conduct business in The Bahamas,” said Mr Laing.
Generally speaking, any increases as a consequence of the new tax assessments under the licensing regime are small, he said. In some instances people will be paying less and in other instances there is no change at all to what they are likely to be paying now.
“This is not a law we sought to pass to help enhance our revenue. I can tell you that by our calculations it is not going to help us that much,” he said.
In too many instances, said Mr Laing, “businesses are creating nuisances in too many communities.
“It is also our observations that there are far too many people who think nothing of operating without a business licence or, if they are operating with a business licence ignoring what the licence has authorised them to do. And so they are doing their own thing.
“We have found that people say they have a music and dance licence and they are making all kinds of noise in people’s communities until people can’t sleep three-four o’clock in the morning.”
When persons complain to the police they are told the licensing unit did not send the police anything which allows them to address the complaint, Mr Laing said he was told. And, when persons complain to the licensing unit they would be told that the police needs to do something about the situation.
“For months on end this back and forth goes on while people in he community suffer,” he said.
“We can’t have that. “We have had some discussions with the Commissioner of Police with respect to this. “We think that it is entirely important in this new business licence regime for us to have a much stricter and stronger enforcement than we would have had in times passed.
“And so it is our intention to have a tighter working relationship with the police that will allow us to work together with them in pursing any complaint that relate to the operation of the Business Licence Act. “You can’t be licensed to be a nuisance to a community.”
Mr Laing said the new Act will eliminate the popular 30-day licence. An occasional licence may be issued for a maximum of seven days, and a person can get an occasional licence only three times a year. Street vendors will also have to be licensed, he said. To vend from a site, they will need authorisation from the land owner among other considerations.
By Gladstone Thurston
Bahamas Information Services
