A group of concerned persons in Anguilla have eventually had their desire for a public hearing of the proposed Goods and Services Tax.
The group, seeking the withdrawal of the tax, did not even want the first reading of, or any mention about the Bill, when it was introduced into the House of Assembly in March 2021, much less its passage. And this passage appears far from happening in the near future.
There were two petitions from the Concerned Citizens. The Bill was given is first reading, but the Speaker, Mrs. Barbara Webster-Bourne, with the support of the House, appointed her Deputy, Mr. Merrick Richardson, to head a Select Committee to look into the petitions.
As from Wednesday, this week, the Committee began its public hearings in the gallery of the House of Assembly with Government officials, technocrats and selected members of the public in attendance.
The public hearings, from June 30, to July 5, are required to:
• Understand the context surrounding the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax
• Assess the impact of the Goods and Services Tax on various sectors of the economy – and the population on a whole
• Analyse the impact of Covid-19 on the economy, in particular as it relates to the formulation and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax
The Anguillian newspaper had a brief interview on Wednesday with Mr. Peter Harris, the GST Adviser, on what the implementation or non-implementation of the tax would mean for the Anguilla Government and its revenue.
His answer was to the point. He explained:
“If the GST is not passed, and if they are looking to raise an extra 22 million dollars, on top of the 57 million, and that doesn’t happen, then you are not going to get the 22 million. You will get the 57 which is based on the existing taxes. But you will lose out on the 22 million unless you make cuts in public expenditure or you get income in another way – which I am not familiar with.”
Mr. Merrick Richardson, Chairman of the Select Committee, told The Anguillian: “Once we get our findings together we will write a report to take before the House of Assembly. Although there are Government Ministers on the Committee, we are not functioning in that capacity. We are just the Committee looking into the possibility of what can be done about the GST going forward.”
Mr. Kyle Hodge, the Minister of Economic Development, told the newspaper: “The Opposition refused to take part in this Committee. But, without the presence of the Opposition, and although we are all on the Government side, there is a balanced approach to how we operate in this Committee. This is because we have different opinions, different ideas and different feelings towards GST. Without the presence of the Opposition, it is still a pretty balanced Committee.”
Minister Hodge added: “One might look at it and say ‘this is a Government Committee so it is one-sided.’ “But, because we have diverse views and thinking, it is not.”
