Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has promised no new taxes as he delivered the 2011/2012 National Budget.
Skerrit, who presented a $432.5 million dollar budget to parliament this morning, said the citizens of Dominica cannot be taxed any further.
He said while there is need for taxes to increase government’s revenue but the people of Dominica cannot afford it.
“Madame Speaker, just as we have opted not to tinker with the revenue base and other concessions which realistically the country cannot afford, so too, we will not increase or impose any new taxes, levies or any other impositions on the people of this country,” he said.
Skerrit told parliament that government will not ask more from the taxpaying public than that which they can bear.
“I believe at this point we cannot continue implementation of our development programme without the leaning further on the workers of Dominica,” he said.
According to Skerrit, government is offering the budget with the hope that citizens will be able to display prudence and responsibility required to sustain the quality of life in which they are entitled.
“Set aside a little something for the raining day. Prepare for the unforeseen, cut out wastage of extravagance and live within your means,” he said.
Skerrit boasted that Dominica may be the only country in the region that is presenting a budget without any taxes.
NATIONAL DEBT: If you wish to know the national debt, read the Director of Audit Report. The latest is for 2009 and you can get it on the government website.
You even have the audacity to state that the last report is 2009? Look jokes u hear, so Government have not spent any money since, but what is wrong with u people.
It is a level of deliberate irresponsibility on the part of the Government not to state the national debt. It must have been done on purpose and I sure you know why, since you read the Audit Report you are brilliant enough to know why.
The PM has a responsibility not just to be out of the country regularly, REGULARLY, but also to state the national debt, buget only comes ONCE A YEAR. Thats why he asked for the job and thats why he is paid.
I NOW ASK, WHAT IS DOMINICA’S CURRENT NATIONAL DEBT? VIZ A VIZ FROM THE YEAR 2000 WHEN THIS GOVERNMENT TOOK UP OFFICE.
If you do not want to know that’s your business, but let hardworking taxpayers ask their Government the questions that are needed to be asked and unless you volunteer to pay our income and vat taxes for us, do not tell us what to ask. Thank you!
Maybe you should go to see the PM at the red clinic and ask him directly what the national debt is, in other words how much money does DA owe the U.N.
hi
Sounds like the elder George Bush.” read my lips”
My thoughts exactly.
There are already has too many taxes down at the ports which inhibit people from doing proper business.
Repeal taxes and reduce govt. Then money will be saved that can be better spent on upgrading this country.
But, please could somebody tell me what is the NATIONAL DEBT??????????? HOW MUCH DOES DOMINICA REALLY OWES??????????? PLEASE?????????????
GOOD QUESTION. SOMEONE PLS TELL US. WHATS THE DEFICIT. PLS
He talking about tax free budget but we can hardly pay what that there already. How he expect us to pay more. come and beg in the RED CLINIC.
Not China he going for everything nah. Is there the 400 million coming out.
It is ironic that the PM always use the same phrasing to bring comfort to the fools. “ The only island not raising taxes”. Yeh that is suppose to make me feel better huh. He also told us that we were the only island doing good during the economic recession. Right now the government is struggling to pay civil servants , public work workers get paid 3 weeks after pay day but we are doing good. How the heck are we improving when government revenues are down and expenditures remain the same.
The budget includes $7000 dollars worth of building materials for police calypsonian?
What about adjustments for the spiritual advisor’s salary now that he is no longer spiritual but promiscuos.I guess the pastor salary must be increased. Any adjustments for duty free concessions for expensive vehicles of girl friends and part affiliates?
As spiritual advisor I wonder if pastor BJ had enough time to pray on that budget. I hope the budget account for continuation of the queen show to produce more girls for the pastor.
As usual a budget long in rhetoric but empty on the fundamental matters can impact the lives of poor Dominicans….But what can we expect from a corrupt bunch of lazy people whose only concern are their pockets??
Shameless Skerrit is it a budget or a buddy- get?U’ve got the gutts to reproach us of a tax free bud-get after all u have taken and stolen from us?When are u gonna remove the 100 plus percent on taxes and duty in buying a new vehicle?I can afford to buy a vehicle but can’t do so because i need the same amount that the vehicle cost to clear it off customs.How could that be government takes from one the same amount of money one spends to buy a car,how did this came about?Government is earning all that money for something they did not invest in,this is ridiculous.
The next level of Begging. That’s y there a Red Clinic. All beggers its a promotion. Don’t work u need not be independant just continue to be beggars.
ok fine u set a budget. no new taxes good. now where is the details for is this 400 million budget. Where is the money coming form. how much is borrowed money and how much is our own. more so whats being down to reduce the already high debt that this country is facing.how much is being spend from this budget to create employment or at list the opportunity for growth. this are the real question i want answered as a Dominican.
Was any of these questions answered?
Send this question to Hector John, I just saw him on your Facebook Page
Wenner, what’s your contribution? Go suck…
And in addition WHAT IS THE NATIONAL DEBT TODAY, viz a viz from where it was in 2000 since this Government came into office.
Why are they afraid to say it, they afraid people will put their hand over their mouths and “gasp”? Or they afraid of their own “shoot the messenger” syndrome?
Leave it for L.L. to do on Saturday afternoons, and then they say he have nothing to do?
Jump high in the air on red plastic bag still some of allu will land on some jagged red hot fire stones.
Let us also, Mr PM, set aside Roseau central for commercial puposes, like Office buildings, stores, shoppes, hotels, motels, schools, centers, restaurants, theaters, banks, medical centers, labs, and so on. Meaning – demolishing areas like Pound in Roseau, clear the lots and designate these areas for commercial building only. We should continue to develop the outskirts and surroundings of Roseau for residential housing and recreational purposes, like Goodwill, Pottersville, Fond Cole, Newtown, Citronier, Castle Comfort, Wall House, the Valley, Yam Pit, Bath Estate, Kings Hill, Canefield, Giraudel, Eggleston, Morne Fortune, Sock Farm. This is good food for thought for Julie Timothy. If we are to bring more investments to Roseau, more businesses to Roseau, create more jobs, boost the economy, we need to look into the future and have enough adequate land in Roseau to accomodate new investments and new developments. The Botanic Gardens and the Peebles Park should be developed to their full potential with adequate public conveniences and designate them tourist sites. We should seek grant-funding to build a modern state-of-the-art Public Library at the same location on Victoria Street across from the soon-to-be White House or State House. The canefield airstrip if not profitable should be converted into more a residential housing area or an industrial park area, or a tourist attraction, the monies and equipment put into the melville hall airport and the road leading from canefield to melville hall. The Roseau market should be kept pristine and brought up to international standards. The woodbridge bay seaport should also be brought up to international standards and certain busy parts of Roseau should be swept and cleaned every day. Then and only then Roseau can be called the capital city of OECS.
I believe too much emphasis is placed on Roseau. Further more who ever gave the writer that Roseau is the capital of the OECS. Roseau is a large Banana Estate in Saint Lucia and the OECS SEcretariat is located in Saint Lucia. Please check your facts Mister before you chatter like a Jaco Parrot
Who cares what Roseau is in St Lucia? We are looking after our own backyard, Mister. St Lucia has become a mecca for crimes and murders today, Mister. The police in St Lucia are impotent against high crimes in the capital, Castries. Also, we need to build a modern state-of-the-art OECS headquarters in St Lucia just like the United Nations in New York with the OECS FLAGS flying high, Mister.
Charles Ssvarin and company usually talks this rubbish about Roseau becoming the premier capital city of the OECS,i guess he’s talking to those who are living in total ignorance,have never travelled and probably will never travel.All the other OECS islands capital has surpassed Roseau long time ago,by the time Roseau meets their standard they will be building other cities.
Yes this is the kind of comment I like to see. One that gives some alternative and suggestions. Way to go De Caribbean Change. And other persons commenting take a leaf from this man!
Thumbs up to you ! Not the empty gibbering of those who can offer nothing but criticise.
Again thumbs up!
And he not cutting down his extravagant lifestyle.strupps….
what??? shld we jump for joy because no new taxes r introduced? government needs more revenue? u want more revenue??? stop allowing the ministers, and their wives, and their grlfrnds or mistresses, and the chinese to import vehicles, and materials and other stuff duty free. allow them to pay the taxes and u will c how much revenue the government is going to generate.
when u do that, u can cut down on some of the taxes we pay because with that economy, many of us r going to fall. with the paycheck we get..minus compulsory taxes, minus rent and basic utilities, minus loan, u want me to say whats left in my bank account?? CLOSE TO NOTHING. all industries are dead. small business r failing. u want to talk bout rainy days….LOOK OUTSIDE….ITS FLOODING. DO SOMETHING BOUT THAT!!!!!
DNO again I offer you my free services! This is not A Tax free budget, it said NO NEW taxes! Please, I hope your common mis-representations are error and not deliberate misleading of the people! Thank you very much!
“Set aside a little something for the raining day. Prepare for the unforeseen, cut out wastage of extravagance and live within your means,” This line is hysterically hilarious!!!
Thank you so much for the correction!
Of course change your lifestyle and set aside for rainy days. What is wrong with this advice? Look and read the news about the economies of the world. Aren’t thing hard all over the world so we need to look at how we spend and stop wastage everywhere. Home Work etc.
Perhaps we are not reading the news on the internet or listenning to the BBC and other news media and then we can count our many blessings.
We had austerity measures a few years aback to bale out our Civil Servants and we bounced back. We all took the blunt even if we were not Civil Servants. We all paid the 4% levy and what happenned we orerturned a castastrophe. Dare we not forget that we were there before some countries who are now sufferring. But we made it and we can make it further if we start to count our many blessings!
Is this the next level? more poverty?
Tax fee or tax free, admin?
To DNO
Is it possible that you guys can get a transcript of the budget presentation so that people who couldn’t catch it could read it in its entirety ?
“…Prepare for the unforeseen, cut out wastage of extravagance and live within your means,” he said.
Sure Skerro! I like to see the expensive black jeep that always park on Cork Street right next to Dons & Divas.
how much of that budget going to the hairy bank?
I so fed up of Dominica and this useless and shameful government and their advisors!
A bunch of fake and fakers just like the owner of Dons and Divas.
Lemme tell you that girl not a people person and i guess she learn from the top! Fed up i tell you!
Dont forget to key the black jeep- yes i said it. Let them spend some money to repaint the vehicle so that the custom duty that was not paid on the vehicle could be recovered and circulate among the poor people. Key that infinity I said. This is our way of sending a message – peaceful demonstration.
People like me can read between the lines. Skerrit knows that he cannot impose any further taxation on our backs. He is already giving his so called supporters all the assistance that he can provide them on our tax monies.