Tax amnesty lures thousands of new taxpayers

[Lazie]

Wednesday, 29 April 2009 As the authorities intensify efforts to nab tax dodgers, it is being reported that nearly 8,000 new persons were added to the tax roll during the just ended 2008/2009 fiscal year.

According to information from the Ministry of Finance, 7,756 new taxpayers were identified up to end of February this year.

The majority of these persons were identified during the period of the amnesty programme.

This was 28% more than during the corresponding period last year when 6,080 new persons became taxpayers.

The Finance Ministry says enforcement measures through the courts resulted in additional revenue intake from 47 criminal and civil litigation cases.

During his Budget Presentation
last week Finance Minister Audley Shaw announced an extension of the tax amnesty until October this year.

He also revealed that a special forensic unit has been set up to track down persons who have not been paying taxes.

[Mosiah]

I guess we can expect a rollback of the gas tax now!

[Jawge]

Lazie please give me your thoughts on the
present govt. plans to tax books and computers what
are the implications for an island with low productivity growth? Thanks.

Ben you can jump in anytime (feel free to bring graphs, equations and other materials).

[Lazie]

Lazie please give me your thoughts on the
present govt. plans to tax books and computers what
are the implications for an island with low productivity growth? Thanks.

Ben you can jump in anytime (feel free to bring graphs, equations and other materials).

What yuh gonna say, the gov't nuh want the people fi read? Books for educational and religious purposes won't be taxed ... I don't see why books for religion is not being taxed. Mosiah can claim his playboy collection is for religious purpose. Anyway, I'm not too much for the taxes on books.

The minister said computers approved by Education Ministry won't be taxed. I don't see what the fuss is about. When yuh buy a computer a Best Buy, yuh nuh pay taxes on it? People a buy computers now for the purpose of working as a DJ. Shouldn't those be taxed? NCB, Grace Kennedy etc buy computers, shouldn't those be taxed? I fully support this. People need to stop bitching.

[Islandman]

I am undecided on this. If we are rying to encourage productivity it is kinda counter-productive to have a consumption tax on productivity tools. But at the same time I prefer it to taxing income, so I guess its a trade-off.

Maybe such items should be taxed at a lower rate? Or are they going to be?

[Jawge]

Lazie you notice I said an island with low
productivity, surely you are not comparing the US with Ja. Are You?

you miss the whole point that computers (regardless of what they are used for) are educational tools. You will learn from using a computer constantly. Many books are in e format and can be loaded on to computers this would save parents extra costs. Well what's the point; you are all for it.

We can always fall back on art and craft.

[Lazie]

Lazie you notice I said an island with low
productivity, surely you are not comparing the US with Ja. Are You?

you miss the whole point that computers (regardless of what they are used for) are educational tools. You will learn from using a computer constantly. Many books are in e format and can be loaded on to computers this would save parents extra costs. Well what's the point; you are all for it.

We can always fall back on art and craft.

Everybody complaining about what is being taxed, whats the alternative? Taxes ..nobody like paying it. The fact is we've put ourselves in a corner. The money need to be raised either by borrowing or taxes ... pick yuh poison. Taxing computers is suddenly going to prevent people from learning? Yuh need fi get serious.

[Lazie]

I am undecided on this. If we are rying to encourage productivity it is kinda counter-productive to have a consumption tax on productivity tools. But at the same time I prefer it to taxing income, so I guess its a trade-off.

Maybe such items should be taxed at a lower rate? Or are they going to be?

There was no indication that they would be taxed at a lower rate.

[Assasin]

Some of it has to be taxed.

I could take down a million dollar in computers for my studio and not be taxed and if you take down the same equipment that is not computerized is it fair that you are been taxed? They tax musical instrument and music equipment.

If they make a limit on the value taxed is a different thing but everybody a go come with under invoice stuff. Yes I support a lower rate however.

[Muadib]

"computers (regardless of what they are used for) are educational tools"

LOL !!

Yuh want man fi try swim inna dem deh watahs ?

I pass...too profound for me..

[Jawge]

Continue to play the fool knowing full well
that in a third world country if the choice is between food and computers, we all know what thechoice will be.

I guess you do not place much stock in computers and tey are not much of a learning tool. You will see the effect in two years.

[Lazie]

Continue to play the fool knowing full well
that in a third world country if the choice is between food and computers, we all know what thechoice will be.

I guess you do not place much stock in computers and tey are not much of a learning tool. You will see the effect in two years.

"if the choice is between food and computers, we all know what thechoice will be."

Is this a joke?

[Muadib]

Send me a graph of the Productivity Index prior to the removal of the Tax and subsequent... then we can add the next two years and in two years time we can sit and discuss the peaks and valleys..

LOL !