AUDLEY SHAW, JLP spokes-man on finance, says the work of the Parliamentary Committee on Tax Measures was being sidelined by Dr. Omar Davies, the Minister of Finance and Planning, and therefore "a mockery of the process of consultation with interest groups", was being made.
He was responding to reports that the Ministry would be imposing a tax on punters' winnings in the gaming industry, instead of a 15 per cent General Consumption Tax (GCT) on both sales and winnings.
In a news release on Friday, Mr. Shaw said this was being done despite "grave concerns" expressed by industry leaders that further taxation on gaming would lead to an increase in illegal gaming, thereby depriving the Government of revenue while undermining the viability of the formal gaming industry.
"Having regard to these expressed concerns, which have been made in written submissions to Parliament, I find it inexplicable that the minister should unilaterally proceed to impose the tax on winnings without, at least, paying the industry leaders the courtesy of listening to their oral presentations in parliament, and also members of the committee to seek clarification on the alternative methods they propose for raising the needed revenue," Mr. Shaw said.
He urged the minister to further stay implementation of the tax on the gaming sector until the matter was properly heard by the Taxation Committee.
"The Minister's failure to do this will confirm the total irrelevance of the committee and indicate the need to disband it as an exercise in wastefulness and futility", Mr. Shaw said.
However, Fitz Jackson, Minister of State for Finance, has described Mr. Shaw's comments as "disingenuous".
He said the ministry's acceptance of recommendations from the Tax Committee notwithstanding, "it is the prerogative of the Ministry of Finance to proceed and deal with matters that are rightfully placed before it." He added that the ministry "will act on a premise that means the judgement that it takes will concur with objective assessments."
The last sitting of the Tax Committee to discuss the 15 per cent tax on the gaming industry was adjourned until after the Local Government Elections which are scheduled for this Thursday.
