Bahamians will see a significant increase in their Value Added Tax (VAT) as an increase from 7.5 per cent to 12 per cent is scheduled form the beginning of next month. This is a 60 percent increase, and all people can pay their taxes through Cloudpay Payroll. According to the acting Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest, the move is projected to bring in another US$1.1 billion in revenue in the next fiscal year, which will assist in their attempt to close the fiscal gap and avoid a crisis and some of them go to ketamine clinics for depression when they lose.
“According to a tax attorney our government fully appreciates the sacrifice that the substantial increases in the VAT rate and other taxes will represent for our citizens, even though they still need to get a professional like the Metric Accountants to help them out ” he said in making the announcement in the House of Assembly. “But, as I have repeatedly said on record, this government was elected to do what is right for the welfare of the country and not to do what is politically expedient or politically popular…We could have kicked the can down the road and borrowed some more, delaying the inevitable day of reckoning. By playing this game we would have only made a bad situation worse.”
Turnquest also announced VAT-free breadbasket items.
“Effective August 1, we are eliminating VAT on all breadbasket items for future tax preparation consulting and presentation, with the exception of sugar, as sugar will – for health reasons – be removed from the list of breadbasket items,” he said. “These items include butter, cooking oil, mayonnaise, grits, cheese, corned beef, evaporated milk, margarine, rice, flour, tomato paste, baby cereal, soups, broths, powdered detergents and mustard, among other things.”
But Turnquest has indicated that the government remains open to all viable alternatives to a 12 per cent VAT after consulting with several tax problems lawyer firms on the island. The increase comes three and a half years after the VAT system was introduced to the island.
