VAT on water bills?

A charge of value added tax (VAT) on bills is among alternatives suggested for Dominica’s sole water company, DOWASCO, to address its water problems.

The recommendation has come from President-General of the National Workers Union (NWU), Rawlins Jemmot, after DOWASCO announced its intention to send home staff and cut salaries.

Jemmot believes that DOWASCO’s financial problems stem from “a history of past failures.”

“If DOWASCO is paying tax on its business … and they cannot charge VAT on their workers, I think something is wrong somewhere,” Jemmot said.

He’s also recommending that staff at DOWASCO can volunteer retirement.

Jemmot and his NWU team will meet with DOWASCO next week to discuss the ongoing situation at the water company.

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32 Comments

  1. just foolingusdomyincans
    February 21, 2011

    I really need to know what’s going on in this country. Rawlins Jemmott( i hope his name was spelt properly) is not and i underscore not the bargining agent for DOWASCO workers, so he has absolutely NO say where this establishment is concerned. Furthermore no one comprehends the none sense he says. The big question is why involve this @#$%

  2. the voice
    February 21, 2011

    Ah Mr jemot early retirement is one of your recommendation? All the workers you represent at dowasco have just reach 40years do you recommend retirement for them? I think you and Letang should team up to fight the common enemy

  3. .......
    February 21, 2011

    This cannot be since the VAT if for Gov’t IRD and not for DOWASCO directly.

  4. Anonymous
    February 21, 2011

    If Dowasco is paying Vat to the Government, where do they get the monies to pay this VAT to the government from? It cannot be from thin air. Vat not collected somewhere is being paid somewhere obviously something is wrong with this picture. The persons in charge should reconsider that or Dowasco has no choice but to let the people pay for it.

    Scenario: If you not workinga not collecting no money from pay day where will you get it to pay your bills same like Dowasco. Companies have to survive and Government has a responsibilty to bud in.

  5. I have a dream
    February 21, 2011

    I had a dream DOWASCO, that this is not the answer…

  6. Disclaimer
    February 21, 2011

    DOWASCO,taking this action would not solve your problems. You just see.

  7. onlybeingreal
    February 21, 2011

    am just saying, i think dominica has to many rivers for us to be paying vat on water come on!……dominica needs to find ways to build the economy, instead of taxing everything they can.

  8. Streesed
    February 21, 2011

    :twisted: Ok people lets be real: Marpin has increased there rates, Domlec and is still going to increase it by 3 % the cost of living has also increase and all you do want DOWASCO to increase by a little $5.00.

    • To stressed
      February 21, 2011

      Stressed what you did not notice is everything has increased except peoples’ salaries.

  9. 101
    February 21, 2011

    Typical Dominican negative responses. We are quick to criticise before we get a grasp of what is being said. Dowasco pays vat on everything it purchases, but unlike other businesses, it is not allowed to recover it.The vat Dowasco pays on its purchases is a hidden tax that goverment collects.

    Better yet Dowasco should be classified as a zero rated VAT service provider.

  10. i need a way out of dominica
    February 20, 2011

    VAT, what next ppl. soon u will hear VAT when u go to roseau and want to sh&^ the lady at the door collect the money will say u got to pay Vat for that too,but u can’t blame her, is de system dat have us so.we need help in d/ca all of a sudden dominica have vat.do the ppl of d/ca know what vat means.Thats the reason i don’t vote cause when we need them so call boys in the house they are not there thats the reasons why i say if GOD wanted us to vote he would have given us candidates

  11. LMAO
    February 20, 2011

    All Skerro have to do is ask daddy Chavez for $10 million to bail out Dowasco. That’s it, problem solve.

  12. Pedro
    February 20, 2011

    Jemmot u joking right. Vat is not Dowasco own, dat will be central Govt own.

  13. whistler
    February 20, 2011

    all these things and more well keep popping it heads up in dominica,because dominica and dominicans dont set their goals and long term avenues right!

    dominica is a like pile of stones always rolling downwards…

    what more can be said…we boast so much about china and all that aid yet still all our sectors are failing is shows a lack of proffessionalism and indepth thinking by Dominica policy and state officials.

    Dominica is a prefect example of where degree personal have caused a Major downfall in the island
    water,health,sports,agriculture,tourism.energy etc..are all sucking the blood of dominicans…

    Dominica doesnt want to achieve Higher standards of vision in any aspect they contented to be small thinkers across the board.

  14. just saying
    February 20, 2011

    mr jemmot is a typical example of an idiot!mr jemmot putting vat on water is not going to solve dowasco problems infact its quite the opposite its going to make things worst cuz the fifteen percent vat collect would not be dowasco’s money but the government money on the 20th of every month.is money collected on behalf of the government.please educate ureself mr jemmot and others about vat before running ure mouths like parrot and my advise to you is stop using ure ignorance as a badge of honour especially u being a union leader!oh gosh man

    • Roz
      February 21, 2011

      Mr. Jemmot wants Dowasco to “charge Vat on their workers”. Really? He doesnt understand that VAT is a flow thru tax which is effected on the CONSUMER by the government thru the companies. It should not affect the companies bottom line. Man should equip themselves with the information necessary to do their jobs. And he is the President-General of the National Workers Union? Really?

  15. worried dominican
    February 20, 2011

    the 27 million could go to upgrading the water system to the citizens then you all can add the vat.it is so ridiculous that we have an abundance of water yet so many water interruptions come on timothy and skerro look within,you guys are so pathetic.

    • Q95
      February 20, 2011

      keep worring..idiot…

  16. anonymous
    February 19, 2011

    i making minimum wage and have to walk home most of the time to have money to save.look now i have give it up.now the dowasco workers passing me in their ride.i on de road well sweating.

    • Possie
      February 20, 2011

      very funny

  17. Eyes Wide Open
    February 19, 2011

    This man isn’t serious. I mean before you come make this kinds of statements please think. First of all Mr. Jemmott, where have you resurrected from. So many things happening in Dominica re; workers rights and you never seem to have anything to say. Now that Mr. Letang has made some recommendation as he alsways does on a regular basis, you feel you just had to make one tell sir, please think before speaking. Putting vat on water is a no no. I don’t mind the $5 increase, I think we could all sacrifice a $5, but vat, well Lord have mercy on us. Why don’t you suggest to Dowasco that if they are doing cuts that they do it acros the board and not just the little workers. I’m sure that there are many so called managers and supervisors making way too much and producing little. Why don’t you suggest to Dowasco increasing efficiecy and decareasing cost by regular maintenance and upgrades to their systems. There are so many other things besides this vat thing.

  18. Smoove
    February 19, 2011

    What they need to do is fix them pipes that have water running full time all in the roads. Reduce wastage. for example there’s a pipe on the wotten waven main road on the way to screws spa that has been broken and left flowing for the past week…and that’s just one of many that are leaking.

  19. jay
    February 19, 2011

    Mr jemmot if these are the recommendations you are going to place before the managing directors of dowasco is better I send my two year old son to sit with dowasco!!!!

    Dowasco is payin coorporate taxes not vat!!! All institutions pay corporate tax. Dowasco does not collect vat and does not pay government vat!!!!

    Volunteer retirement. Lol. Like that will help. How many employees at dowasco are eligible for retirement? And besides wat wud end up happening is the more experienced employees wud go leavin the company with no choice but to hire again.

    The bottom line is, if dowasco has too much staff or is payin ppl to do notin den let dem go. The business needs to be more efficient in its operations before they can come to ME and say they have to increase rates. So my advice to dowasco eliminate wastage and examin the situation from dere…

  20. Sout Man
    February 19, 2011

    It is not an overstatement to declare that water is Dominica’s most abundant natural resource. Making it available to the entire population is our number one priority. Making a huge profit is secondary. The company must be successful, of course, but we must strike a balance between service and huge profit. That’s why I do not support all the comments that call for the elimination of stand pipes. Those who comment from the diaspora tend to believe the majority of homes in Dominica have potable water. (Re: comments in relation to DPSU General Secretary- Thomas Letang).

    Management like to threaten employees with layoffs. We are always the scapegoat. The top five fat cats in DOWASCO probably make more in salaries and benefits than the fifty, (50), at the bottom. If water cannot sustain the employment of a few workers in Dominica, What will? Management should first trim the fat and manage efficiently.

  21. only
    February 19, 2011

    No more taxes on anything or increased rates. That only serves to hurt business and growth on the economic scale in this country.

    DWASCO still shuts off the water and inconveniences people. The govt. should be subsidizing and improving the water service with the money that it has borrowed rather than entertaining lofty ideas of presidential palaces.
    Get back to the basics that people need.

    The govt. needs to reduce its size and held to operating more efficiently instead of the waste and extravagance that goes on.

    • Sout Man
      February 19, 2011

      So, take the loan and help (“subsidize”) everybody, (both residential and commercial), pay their water bill. For how long, may I ask? Oh, I see!!!

  22. TOLD YOU
    February 19, 2011

    Put the Vat on the water bill and increase VAT from 15% to 20%

    • way papa
      February 19, 2011

      you must be unemployed to speak like that

  23. Anonymous
    February 19, 2011

    This is madness!!!!

    People start cutting down trees like hell.

  24. Cassandra
    February 19, 2011

    VAT on water bills is not the answer. First of all it would have the effect govt. tries to avoid i.e. higher water bills with a direct pointer towards them. Secondly it would increase the use of standpipes, which can not be vat rated, especially by the less well-off amongst our people. Thirdly, any vat collected by Dowasco, although it is a govt. owned company can not be retained by them, even in part. This tax is collected on behalf of the Govt. and it would only add costs to the Dowasco operation to ask them to do this. The only way is to reduce costs and/or increase basic rates to the consumers.

    • Master Bait
      February 19, 2011

      You make a lot of sense!!

    • Disclaimer
      February 21, 2011

      I second you Cassandra

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