The Nassau Guardian
DPM: Don’t jump to judgment on Lightbourne
Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said the public should not rush to judge Ishmael Lightbourne, coordinator of the government’s value-added tax (VAT) Unit, because he owes thousands of dollars in real property taxes.
“I understand the concern of the general public, but at the end of the day it is all about the individual,” Davis said.
“It is our responsibility to do things. Yes, it is often said do as I say and not as I do.
“It is a principle that persons often say. I think in this instance we have to look at the circumstance of the individual before we jump to judgment. There may be compelling reasons as to why he may not have been able to pay his taxes.
“If those are compelling, even though it is not an excuse, the reasons may mitigate against what the consequences may be. Until we know those reasons we ought not to judge what the consequences should be.”
Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis said he does not think Lightbourne should be fired.
Halkitis said the government stands a better chance of collecting what is owed if he is employed.
Lightbourne told The Nassau Guardian last week that the government would have to make the call on whether he continues to be employed by the Ministry of Finance.
The Guardian revealed that Lightbourne, who has been lecturing Bahamians on the need to pay their taxes, has not paid property taxes on his West Bay Street home in at least a decade.
The Guardian further revealed that Lightbourne owes $110,083 in taxes on a commercial property he owns, through a company, at Mount Royal Avenue.
Lightbourne, who is also a director of Sandbourne Limited, has not paid taxes on the commercial property in Palmdale in over 20 years.
The Free National Movement (FNM) has called on Lightbourne to resign or be fired over his delinquent taxes.
Davis said there needs to be a focus on the message and not the messenger.
“Very often we are misguided by the fact that we look at the messenger rather than the message,” he said.
“I’m always more concerned about what the message is than those delivering it.
“And though we often are influenced by who the messenger might be, I think it is folly and we will be on a march of folly when we pay more attention to the messenger than to the message.”
No comments:
Post a Comment