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| Legal Adviser in the Nevis Island Administration, Mr. Patrice Nisbett |
Charlestown Nevis (September 26, 2006) With a debt estimated at five million Eastern Caribbean Currency in outstanding revenues, the Nevis Island Government was of the view that the island would be in a much better position if it was collected.
Speaking to the Government Information Services on Tuesday, Legal Adviser in the Nevis Island Administration, Mr. Patrice Nisbett pointed out that the administration was committed to collect the outstanding revenues. He also pointed out that one of the Legal Counsels within the Legal Department has been assigned to the Inland Revenue Department.
"We got a request from the people at Inland Revenue Department, in that they requested necessary legal assistance in collecting the outstanding taxes," said Mr. Nisbett. "As a result, the Legal Department in its wisdom has assigned Mr. Erskine Caines to the Inland Revenue Department.
"The primary purpose of assigning this officer is to give the Inland Revenue Department the necessary legal assistance that is required to beef up the tax administration and the collection of the outstanding taxes," he added.
The Legal Adviser observed that Mr. Caines was an officer of the Legal Department and that he had been a lawyer for a while. Mr. Nisbett further noted that the department was confident that Mr. Caines would bolster the revenue collection or the outstanding taxes in that department.
According to Mr. Nisbett, "One would recognise that the new Nevis Island Administration has various programs, various plans and various policies and in order to carry out our programs, we would have to ensure that the revenue that is outstanding is in fact collected.
"It will mean that in order to carry out the programs and policies of this new administration, we will not burden the people of Nevis any further with additional taxes or levies once those taxes are collected. The department would function more effectively," said Legal Adviser Mr. Nisbett.
Mr. Caines who took up office last Friday is the first legal counsel on the island to be assigned to a specific government department other than the Legal Department of the Nevis Island Administration.
