…ready, then not ready?
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRIME MINISTER Dr. the Hon. Denzil. L. Douglas said he has received mixed messages from the St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CIC) relating to its members’ preparedness for the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT).
On Monday (Oct. 25), the CIC held a press conference to officially and publically register its concerns with the fast-approaching VAT implementation date (November 1, 2010). The Chamber explained that it is ill-prepared for the implementation and suggested that the government consider a delay.
Speaking Tuesday (Oct. 26) at his weekly radio programme ‘Ask the PM’, Dr. Douglas expressed his concern, having been apprised of the Chamber’s recently-held press conference. The PM said he has some difficulty as it relates to the Chamber and its preparedness for the implementation of VAT, especially since, prior to the press conference, he was informed that the organisation’s members were VAT-ready.
“Up to last week, several members of the Chamber were saying, reporting to us in the Tax Reform Office, that they were ready. I think the Chamber President has been quoted to me yesterday that last week a statement was made that they were ready. And so yesterday’s (Oct. 25) press conference – what was allegedly being said – was somewhat disappointing because from a state of being ready to a state of being unready, I can’t understand that at all.
“Saturday night I was at the Tourism Annual Awards Banquet, several persons there (from the Private Sector) told me they were ready; they were ready for the VAT. And now I am hearing in a press conference…either called by the Chamber or supported by the Chamber, that they are not ready. So I am waiting to hear what is the state of their readiness,” Dr. Douglas said.
The leader of the country also expressed that as the implementation date draws nigh, the government “continues to prepare itself and wants to prepare our partners, because the Private Sector are our partners in ensuring that the appropriate fiscal measures are introduced in the stabalisation of our national economy”.
He also expressed his hope that “the architects and the leadership of the Chamber would find it necessary and appropriate and pertinent to at least speak to the Ministry of Finance if it has a problem, because we can’t have a conversation through the media. We have to have a conversation with each other, not through the media. And so if there are issues, I believe that the Chamber in this country is sufficiently mature that it would bring its concerns to the Ministry appropriately if there are misgivings.”
According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary, Dr. Douglas met with a contingent from the Chamber yesterday (Oct. 27), ending with both agreeing to work out their concerns.
Held in an “atmosphere of cordiality”, the meeting saw the Chamber expressing its concerns and the government pledging to assist in ironing out any kinks which would have presented themselves prior to the VAT implementation.
Both, as the release explains, “recognise the importance of working together”. It however informs that Dr. Douglas “reaffirmed that the Value Added Tax (VAT) will be introduced on the prescribed date of November 1st 2010”.
