The Nassau Guardian
PM ‘missed opportunity’ on Lightbourne controversy
Prime Minister Perry Christie missed an opportunity to salvage the government’s argument for tax reform, Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Chairman Dr. Duane Sands said yesterday.
Sands was referring to Christie’s defense of the government’s value-added tax (VAT) coordinator Ishmael Lightbourne, who has been delinquent in his real property taxes for more than 20 years.
“This story is much more about the judgment and lack of due diligence of Christie on the Ministry of Finance’s behalf,” Sands said.
“You cannot or ought not have to put somebody in charge of rolling out VAT who is himself not a believer of the principle of taxation.
“If you go back to 2002 to 2007 and even now, he (Christie) simply does not understand these types of
principles; The principles of ethical and responsible government.”
Sands said Christie has made the issue seem like a personal attack against Lightbourne who he is trying to save from “doom and gloom”.
“I think that he could have depersonalized the issue to acknowledge that he lost a teachable moment,” Sands said.
“I think he had an opportunity to speak to that and to perhaps salvage his side of the tax reform story.”
Christie said in the House last week that Lightbourne did not pay his taxes due to “financial incapacity”.
The prime minister also told the House he intervened with a local bank in an effort to help Lightbourne save his home.
Christie responded to what he called “vicious attacks” that have been directed at Lightbourne, who he hired last year to help steer the implementation of VAT.
The Nassau Guardian recently reported 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 Guardian also 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. He owes nearly $8,000 in real property taxes on his home.
Sands said Christie lacks the fortitude to deal with controversial issues.
“What he could have done was acknowledge they made a mistake, that they chose the wrong guy,” Sands said.
“He is not the right person for this job.”
Friends
While not calling Lightbourne’s name, FNM Chairman Darron Cash said Christie’s speech about Lightbourne proves that it’s good to have someone in authority looking out for you.
“Mr. Christie’s friend had a prime minister to intervene with the bank on his behalf when he experienced financial problems,” Cash said in a statement.
“That was great for him. Sadly, the prime minister was not so concerned about the many Bahamians who have lost jobs and the ability to pay their bills, especially those unfortunate unemployed Bahamians who cannot pay their bills because Mr. Christie as prime minister put them out of work.
“His insensitivity began with Urban Renewal workers when he demonstrated that the only thing he was ready for on day one was to fire Urban Renewal workers.
“Similarly, his government seemed insensitive to the needs of the hotel workers on Paradise Island and Cable Beach when they lost their jobs. Neither the prime minister nor his ministers stepped in to intervene on behalf of those average, not-so-well-connected Bahamians.
“Mr. Christie’s passionate and vociferous defense of a friend would have been a lot more convincing if he had demonstrated that he cares as much about the rest of his countrymen.”
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