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Govt backpedals on VAT reduction promise

Government appears to be dragging its heels on its long-delayed manifesto promise to significantly reduce the rate of the Value Added Tax (VAT) on consumer items – within 100 days of taking office.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, during a press conference on Monday, posited that the Administration had practically done all that was possible in relation to alleviating the burden of VAT and any more changes would require extensive consultations and possible repercussions.

Jordan pointed out that Government has already implemented an extension to the zero-rated VAT items in both Budget 2015 and Budget 2016.

“There is virtually nothing more left to reduce on,” the Minister declared.

Further justifying the Government’s decision to not keep its campaign promise, Jordan also insisted that the Private Sector Commission (PSC) advised against VAT reduction during the budget consultations.

The Finance Minister conceded, however, that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition did indeed promise a significant reduction in the VAT rate, but indicated that there was a slim likelihood of this occurring without any consequences.

“This is a commitment that we intend to uphold, but it’s a commitment that we want to be sure when we do it, we won’t have to hastily pull it back … We cannot reduce VAT on existing base, we have to broaden the base to recoup revenues that will be lost…We want to do it in a careful manner so that when we do it, we won’t have to go back and increase it or something,” he explained, though this was never disclosed on the campaign trail.

Jordan highlighted that there were various options for reducing VAT, one being a charge on consumer items like electricity and water as a trade-off for an across-the-board reduction.

“What we would want to do is have the widest possible consultations ,because some of the options that you have is putting the VAT on some things that could cause trouble and then you will hear, you know, I said it the last time that you have to bring into the mix, things like water that doesn’t attract VAT at the moment, electricity that doesn’t attract VAT at the moment…If you remember in Trinidad and Tobago, when they reduced the rate, they broadened the base …They removed all the exemptions, so even baby food attracted VAT…We have to be prepared for what is doable and what may not be doable,” he stated.

Nonetheless, he assured that Cabinet was discussing the matter and any changes to the VAT system were likely to come on stream in 2017.

Providing assistance to Guyana in this regard is the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to the Finance Minister, a mission will be dispatched to Guyana to conduct an assessment of the VAT structure in the country and make recommendations on how to proceed to implement changes.

The Tax Reform Committee was established by Government to conduct a similar assessment, but, according to Jordan, the members probably did not perform an adequate task.

Nonetheless, he lauded the work done by the Committee and noted that the other recommendations made were before Cabinet for discussions.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

 

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I find it amazing that these clowns would make false promises to the people.  It was clear that VAT and the rate was established as part of the economic model! They clearly were either liars or did not understand the economics of what they were speaking.  VAT is necessary and required as long as Guyana exists on an economy where key foreign exchange earners, sugar, rice, etc runs straight-line losses but trade local input costs for essential foreign exchange.

Without VAT as a revenue source in a porous compliance environment, and to cover the operating losses of key forex earning industries, the model and the economy would collapse with rampant inflation.

Did they not understand this before they went off and promise the stars and the moon?  They could have saved everyone the lies and false hopes by taking a lesson in economics 201 from BJ!

This is the same shyte as with the Bbce bridge!!

FM
Last edited by Former Member

Gov’t seeks IMF’s counsel on lowering VAT

- reduction unlikely before next budget, Jordan says

http://www.stabroeknews.com/20...ounsel-lowering-vat/

A reduction in the current 16% Value-Added Tax (VAT) rate is not possible before the next budget, according to Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who says that although the Tax Reform Committee (TRC) has made such a recommendation, government has sought guidance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ensure that the right decision is made.

“So it is on the cards. If it happens, I don’t see it happening before the next budget. It will be extremely difficult to just bring in a VAT reduction in the middle… of the year,” he told a press conference yesterday.

The APNU+AFC, in its elections manifesto, had promised a reduction in VAT within its first 100 days in office. Many have expressed disappointment that this promise has not been honoured.

The TRC, in its 133-page report which was delivered to Jordan in January, had proposed that the tax be lowered to 14% along with the introduction of an intermediate rate of 7%.

President David Granger, on a special edition of “The Public Interest” earlier this month, was asked about the lowering of the rate and he said he was awaiting the report for government to take action. That report, when Granger spoke, would have been in the possession of government for almost five months.

Jordan told reporters that the recommendation made by the TRC is “nothing new. It merely follows on the promise that the government had made to reduce VAT.”

The minister explained that there are various options available for reducing VAT and what government would want to do is have the “widest possible consultation” because some of the options available would involve putting the VAT on some items that “could cause trouble.”

“I said it before, you have to bring to the mix things like water that doesn’t attract VAT at the moment, electricity that doesn’t attract VAT at the moment,” he said, while using Trinidad as an example to show that when the VAT was reduced there, the base was broadened, meaning that all exemptions were removed. He said that in Trinidad even baby food attracts VAT.

“In finally coming to a decision, we have to be prepared for what is doable in terms of having to remove the exemptions and put a reduced rate on VAT and what may not be doable and so that discussion is engaging the attention of the Cabinet. Once, more or less, something final has come out there, we will throw it out to the public and then…VAT is a very touchy issue,” he said.

Jordan added that the TRC did some good work but given the government’s concerns about the implications of reducing it, it has asked the IMF, through the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre, to send a mission to do a complete assessment of Guyana’s VAT system, including where it is today and the options for changes.

With regard to the other recommendations, he said that some of them were implemented in the 2016 budget. The others, he said, are still before the Cabinet

“Whatever is agreed will not be implemented before the next budget because there are already a set of measures in the existing budget for which…we have already gone to the Parliament. Even if we agree to a measure now, you still have to get it to Parliament and you still have to get it debated and passed,” he stressed.

Jordan noted that VAT was reduced on many consumer items and that “there is virtually nothing more to reduce VAT on.” As a result, he said, people have moved from the VAT reduction to the rate reduction. However, he said that if one takes a look back at this year’s budget, it would be noted that the Private Sector Commission had advised government not to reduce the rate. “They were asking the government instead of reducing the rate, let us look at more VAT reductions on items. We did say that we will reduce the rate, this is a commitment that we intend to uphold but it is a commitment that we want to ensure that when we do it, we don’t have to hastily pull it back and for that we are required to do as much work as possible before we move on,” he said.

He reiterated that a VAT reduction in terms of rate “would not just come with that… “We [would]have to expand the base on which the VAT is applied so as to recoup lost revenues for the reduction.”


 

This is better reporting than the twisted logics of GT.

Django

Jordan has been doing one thing real well - making excuses when faced with the promises APNU/AFC made on the election campaign trail.  He could never give a clear answer. There is always something he is holding back on. Slime for a finance minister.

Billy Ram Balgobin
Billy Ram Balgobin posted:

Jordan has been doing one thing real well - making excuses when faced with the promises APNU/AFC made on the election campaign trail.  He could never give a clear answer. There is always something he is holding back on. Slime for a finance minister.

Don't blame him.  Blame all the liars during the campaign who told the people nancy story!  They all were blowing hot air not knowing of what they speak or being liars.  I know they were being liars because a certain esteemed individual mentioned that to me during the 2011 run when the AFC was independent.  The most they can do was to fine tune, reduce here and there but offset with increases other places.

VAT implementation was done in conjunction with foreign lending agencies and part and parcel of the debt forgiveness agreement.  In addition, other taxes were eliminated as being ineffective.  The PNC just cannot arbitrarily reduce anything without consultation with the IMF/others, elaborating the impact and showing where the lost revenues will be offset!

This is yet another lie and debacle of the PNC/AFC where it will be proven the PPP was on the right track.

FM
Nehru posted:

STINKING LIARS, DUNCES AND JACKASSES BRAYING . GOD BE WITH GUYANA!!!!

These people have to shame, then they turn around and cuss out and change the subject.  They know their promises were all lies, they must have known when they were making them.  But the imperative was fooling the people, get the PPP out at all costs, then get their hands on that cookie jar!  Now they are lying and "chuckling" all the way to the bank!!

FM
ba$eman posted:
. . . Blame all the liars during the campaign who told the people nancy story!  They all were blowing hot air not knowing of what they speak or being liars.  I know they were being liars because a certain esteemed individual mentioned that to me during the 2011 run when the AFC was independent.  The most they can do was to fine tune, reduce here and there but offset with increases other places.

VAT implementation was done in conjunction with foreign lending agencies and part and parcel of the debt forgiveness agreement.  In addition, other taxes were eliminated as being ineffective.  The PNC just cannot arbitrarily reduce anything without consultation with the IMF/others, elaborating the impact and showing where the lost revenues will be offset!

This is yet another lie and debacle of the PNC/AFC where it will be proven the PPP was on the right track.

clap clap clap . . . i hear yuh deh

so then, why exactly did Jagdeo "specifically" call for VAT reduction to 12% in the 2016 budget?

http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/2...-budget-2016-jagdeo/

FM
redux posted:
ba$eman posted:
. . . Blame all the liars during the campaign who told the people nancy story!  They all were blowing hot air not knowing of what they speak or being liars.  I know they were being liars because a certain esteemed individual mentioned that to me during the 2011 run when the AFC was independent.  The most they can do was to fine tune, reduce here and there but offset with increases other places.

VAT implementation was done in conjunction with foreign lending agencies and part and parcel of the debt forgiveness agreement.  In addition, other taxes were eliminated as being ineffective.  The PNC just cannot arbitrarily reduce anything without consultation with the IMF/others, elaborating the impact and showing where the lost revenues will be offset!

This is yet another lie and debacle of the PNC/AFC where it will be proven the PPP was on the right track.

clap clap clap . . . i hear yuh deh

so then, why exactly did Jagdeo "specifically" call for VAT reduction to 12% in the 2016 budget?

http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/2...-budget-2016-jagdeo/

Good, so do it.  Is not alyuh had it as a campaign platform agenda.  The PPP never promised that during their campaign.

BJ just calling out alyuh.  Why should he not, you lied your way into office, so now fulfill your false promises.  That's what he is doing fool!!

FM
ba$eman posted:
redux posted:
ba$eman posted:
. . . Blame all the liars during the campaign who told the people nancy story!  They all were blowing hot air not knowing of what they speak or being liars.  I know they were being liars because a certain esteemed individual mentioned that to me during the 2011 run when the AFC was independent.  The most they can do was to fine tune, reduce here and there but offset with increases other places.

VAT implementation was done in conjunction with foreign lending agencies and part and parcel of the debt forgiveness agreement.  In addition, other taxes were eliminated as being ineffective.  The PNC just cannot arbitrarily reduce anything without consultation with the IMF/others, elaborating the impact and showing where the lost revenues will be offset!

This is yet another lie and debacle of the PNC/AFC where it will be proven the PPP was on the right track.

clap clap clap . . . i hear yuh deh

so then, why exactly did Jagdeo "specifically" call for VAT reduction to 12% in the 2016 budget?

http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/2...-budget-2016-jagdeo/

Good, so do it.  Is not alyuh had it as a campaign platform agenda.  The PPP never promised that during their campaign.

BJ just calling out alyuh.  Why should he not, you lied your way into office, so now fulfill your false promises.  That's what he is doing fool!!

lol lol

suh, which part(s) of Bharat's recommendations for budget 2016 wuz joke and which part(s) wuz serious?

which wan of u two antiman is the stand up comedian?

har de har har har har harrr

FM
redux posted:
ba$eman posted:
redux posted:
ba$eman posted:
. . . Blame all the liars during the campaign who told the people nancy story!  They all were blowing hot air not knowing of what they speak or being liars.  I know they were being liars because a certain esteemed individual mentioned that to me during the 2011 run when the AFC was independent.  The most they can do was to fine tune, reduce here and there but offset with increases other places.

VAT implementation was done in conjunction with foreign lending agencies and part and parcel of the debt forgiveness agreement.  In addition, other taxes were eliminated as being ineffective.  The PNC just cannot arbitrarily reduce anything without consultation with the IMF/others, elaborating the impact and showing where the lost revenues will be offset!

This is yet another lie and debacle of the PNC/AFC where it will be proven the PPP was on the right track.

clap clap clap . . . i hear yuh deh

so then, why exactly did Jagdeo "specifically" call for VAT reduction to 12% in the 2016 budget?

http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/2...-budget-2016-jagdeo/

Good, so do it.  Is not alyuh had it as a campaign platform agenda.  The PPP never promised that during their campaign.

BJ just calling out alyuh.  Why should he not, you lied your way into office, so now fulfill your false promises.  That's what he is doing fool!!

lol lol

suh, which part(s) of Bharat's recommendations for budget 2016 wuz joke and which part(s) wuz serious?

which wan of u two antiman is the stand up comedian?

har de har har har har harrr

The biggest Comedian and Antiman IS YOU.  You so stupid the Govt set aside funds for you to get a brain transplant.

Nehru

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