I saw the article today on the first page of the Tribune business section entitled:
"Businesses irate at '20 year-old' tax demands"

..."Businessmen yesterday expressed anger at the "absolutely ridiculous" efforts by goverment agencies, including the Business Licence/Valuation Unit and National Insurance Board (NIB), to attempt to collect taxes and fess allegedly over a decade old by refusing to issue new licences.
Glen Saunders, owner of A-1 Signs and A-1 Enterprises, said he had only been issued with one business licence, instead of the customary two, because the Business Licence Unit were insisting that he pay fees allegedly owed some 17 years ago....
......Dionisio D'Aguilar, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce's president, yesterday confirmed to Tribune Business that he had been hit with a similiar demand when, in his capacity as president of the Superwash laundromat chain, he applied for its business licence renewal.
When he did so, he was hit with a demand that he pay business licence fees that were allegedly owed from the year 1977....
....Mr. D'Aguilar, too, questioned why the Business Licence Unit had kept renewing Superwash's licence for more than 30 years without either previously refusing its application or making any demands for the allegedly owed fees.
....."I find it mind-boggling that they're going back so far. There should be a statute of limitations on this stuff," Mr. D'Aguilar said.
...."There's no way I can fight that, because I don't have records going back to 1995," Mr. Suanders told the Tribune yesterday.
"If the Government is not able to collect by a certain time, then write those sums off. They can't say: 'Pay back now', because I can't fight it."

It's quite a long article and I only posted parts of it, but I encourage anybody who can to read the entire article.

I can see why business owners would be irate about this.
What small or medium size Bahamian business can afford to keep records like that all the way back to 1977?
And why didn't the government collect the owed monies before renewing each of those licences for all those years?

Also, in the case of Superwash....I find it hard to believe the recently deceased Vincent D'Aguilar did not pay his business licence in 1977. Anyone who knew him would find this hard to believe.

And as Mr. Saunders pointed out in the end of the article, how are you supposed to fight the government so many years later....

just pay the government what is owed. I was just issued a bill from customs that was overlooked by there clerical staff over3 yrs, I agree it was there mistake but we have to pay our share to keep the wheels turning . Its not that you dont owe them you owe so pay darn it.

It is thefault relevant government agencies for not collecting the sums of monies owed in a timely fashion. However this does not lessen the fact that monies are owed by these companies.Too many companies have gotten away with it now it is time to pay up.

Tony and Genx...I agree that if you owe money you should pay your bills...but in the case of these two businesses mentioned in the article I see why they irate.

In regards to Saunders...he didn't keep records all the way back from 1995 so he can't prove if he paid or not...and the government issued him the licence for 12 years so for them to now not issue it is unfair.

In regards to Superwash not paying in 1977 (besides that I do not belive that Vincent D'Aguilar did not pay his licence), there is no way Superwash should be penalized now for a government's 37 year-old mistake. If this was in the states the statute of limitations would prohibit that.

The government needs to collect business licence fees in a timely manner....and I wonder how many politicans/big shots haven't paid their licences but can still operate with impunity.

I have heard that a prominent Bahamian business man, who owns a successful business that has been around for decades, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham stating that he refused to pay his business licence fee this year.

It got me thinking, what do business owners get from their licence fee?

Tony and Genx...I agree that if you owe money you should pay your bills...but in the case of these two businesses mentioned in the article I see why they irate.
In regards to Saunders...he didn't keep records all the way back from 1995 so he can't prove if he paid or not...and the government issued him the licence for 12 years so for them to now not issue it is unfair.
In regards to Superwash not paying in 1977 (besides that I do not belive that Vincent D'Aguilar did not pay his licence), there is no way Superwash should be penalized now for a government's 37 year-old mistake. If this was in the states the statute of limitations would prohibit that.
The government needs to collect business licence fees in a timely manner....and I wonder how many politicans/big shots haven't paid their licences but can still operate with impunity.


That is one of the problems now in our country inconsistency.I hope dey go after everybody not just a certain few people.we need to to have our rules and regulations inforced no matter who you know or who know you.

Just pay your bills. That's all. However, there should be a sunset clause. But, if you missed payments, for up to at lewast 10 years traceable, then you SHOULD pay your bills.

Gatta whip the business community into shape. We have too much slackness.

We don't get national insurance, from legitimate companies
We have firings, with no compensation
We have people injured on duty, while the company just finds someone else
We have casino's, who have not paid taxes in years
If the casino's and hotel's haven't paid taxes, the oil companies surely have not paid taxes
Real property tax is a joke
Capital gains is a joke

So, if we clamp down on these, even in a minimal manner, we can see a jump in revenue for at least $50 mil....and maybe even more. In fact, it may be substantially more.

Good luck with the government trying to gte payment of this. Its about time.

just pay the government what is owed. I was just issued a bill from customs that was overlooked by there clerical staff over3 yrs, I agree it was there mistake but we have to pay our share to keep the wheels turning . Its not that you dont owe them you owe so pay darn it.
I'm sorry, but there needs to be a statute of limitations. After 17 years records my be lost or destroyed. you MAY have already paid it but you cannot prove your point.

If you don't collect a bill after 3 years, sorry buddy, you lose. Do better next time.

them corrupt gov workers trying to pocket that money, let em know you dont play their game.

just pay the government what is owed. I was just issued a bill from customs that was overlooked by there clerical staff over3 yrs, I agree it was there mistake but we have to pay our share to keep the wheels turning . Its not that you dont owe them you owe so pay darn it.

businesses come and go, 3 years? They could have gone out of business long time.