Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has criticized the Opposition Leader, Lennox Linton’s for not recognizing government’s efforts to make the country’s income tax rate more competitive in Linton’s response to the 2017/2018 National Budget.
Skerrit made the statement during the winding up of the budget debate in Parliament on Tuesday night.
“It made no mention of the bold steps to make our income tax rates more competitive, boosting incentives to work and they need to develop an entrepreneurial spirit and character in our society,” the Prime Minister complained.
According to Skerrit, it doesn’t matter if they [the opposition] agree with the policies or not, “every single policy enunciated in this budget address will affect in a positive way, the lives of every single of our citizens in Dominica, and therefore our people need to know how does the opposition view these policies and programs because it will impact on their lives.”
Skerrit, who is also Minister for Finance, said Linton believes that there needs to be more parliamentary scrutiny, “but in the Budget address Madam Speaker, had he waited to prepare his response to the budget he would have seen that the government is now adopting international best practice by the establishment of a fiscal policy panel which will provide independent scrutiny and critic of the government fiscal policies.”
Skerrit said that panel will also be invited to the parliament.
Come January 1, 2018, Dominicans earning less than $30,000 a year will not be paying income tax as the government moves to increase the minimum income tax threshold from $25,000 per year to $30,000, the Prime Minister revealed.
He said that the government will be directing a National Fiscal Policy Panel (NFPP) to consider and advise on the abolition of the 15 percent and 25 percent income tax bands in the next fiscal year.
The NFPP is to be made up of three independent experts with outstanding international reputations to provide the Government, Parliament and the nation with independent economic advice on matters relating to tax and spending policy during this transformation. Part of its job will be to advise the Government on economic and fiscal policies.
The House of Assembly has been adjourned sine die.
Dominicans blah ,blah ,blah koesoney as ever, with a Linton that’s not finishing. Get a life.
Mister just wanted everybody to jump up and sing his genius and generous he is but I think the opposition did not even mention it and pass it by. Dominica is the only country I know where the government negotiates pay increases backward. I mean you are deciding now what you should pay people three years ago? That is wicked. What about inflation and will those employees who died in the mean time, left or retired get their share of the increase for the time you employed them? Are you going to pay them interest for the time they had to wait for their increase? Fix such unreasonable behavior before you come all cocorico over a meagre tax reduction that only benefits those in work earning over $25,000 in a year. The poor and unemployed get zilch Mr. Dimples..
Just floating the cream on the coffee are you Mr. PM. I don’t know how you can sleep at night.
Skerrit running circles around allu!
While allu negative the man Positive, while allu trying to bring people down, he lifting people up, while allu trying to give allu country a bad name, he putting Dominica on the world stage, while allu nay saying, he saying yes, while allu eating Yam he eating Yampeh!
Der UDOHREADYET,
According to U SKERRIT is trying to bring people UP while we are trying to bring them down, he SKERRIT is HELPING people, SKERRIT is giving PEOPLE good name, SKERRIT is putting people on the world stage while we are taking them down, and while we eating yam SKERRIT is eating YAMPER,
Please will U answer this questions : What about the FIRE of CHRISTMAS morning 2010 at st aromant, at the home of the EMMANUELS that destroy their property, what about the contingent of SSU that was brought down to the court on that faithful morning to protect one man, I will allow U to answer these questions but their is a lot more I can ask,
You all don’t want to go to STOCKFARM but it is being prepared for the CABAL, if u CARE TO PLEASE OPEN THE GOOD book and look up PROVERBS 15: 3 which says The EYES of the LORD are in every PLACE, beholding the EVIL and the GOOD
YOU ALL WILL PAY FOR YOUR SINS AT AT THE RIGHT TIME, SOON COME
Skerritt you have the entire year to prepare a budget, how long did you give Mr. Linton to analyze your budget to give a more concrete response. Stop behaving like a child Mr.PM. Secondly, that cutting of taxes is great but how is the country getting that lost revenue, besides passport sales. Nothing else is being created in any of the sector to create sustainable revenue.
Hee hee hee hee…..What happened to you Skearat my chile???? Hee hee hee hee… Linton dat hit me!!! Hee hee hee…Ok bluu bluu; I’ll hit Linton back for you, eh……Don’t cry baby!!! Hee hee hee…He hit me again Miss speaker!!!!
By international standards $30,000 for a personal allowance is very good indeed.
Statements ,like these, not backed by relevant data are meaningless. E.EC. 30,000 is U.S.$.11.070. That level of annual income would have put a 1 person household in the continental U.S.A. (excl. Alaska) below the poverty threshold in 2015* The poverty line for a 4 person household ( 2parents + 2 children for example) would have been U.S.$.24,250, the equivalent of E.C.$.65,718. Most two child , two-parent families in Dominica would have been ecstatic to have such an annual income two years ago, let alone today. Yet in the U.S..A. they would have been considered to live just on the borderline of being classified poo, on the breadline so to speak. And that applies to those being fortunate enough to be in regular employment.
* Latest available figures. U.S. Dept. of State of Health & Human Services.
what an arrogant, boldface, coward, fake, and untruthful Prime Minister. He takes six months to put a budget together with submissions and rationales from all the Ministries, his financial advisors- then gets the likes of Eddie lambert to write his budget speech which he presents to the house. He then gives the opposition leader less than 20 hours to read, digest and analyse, and to present a rebuttal to what he took 6 months to prepare. In the circumstance I honestly think the leader of the opposition and his colleagues did a dame good job at their response. Interestingly we heard from the DAIC today saying in effect that the private sector did not have an opportunity to read and analyse the budget before its presentation and therefore as parts of it becomes available for analysis its only then they will be able to comment on the potential impact it may have on the economy. so who was consulted Mr. PM. So who is this pompous arrogant PM trying to impress with his Fake news.
@ Stupendous, above Let us get one thing straight even if Prime minister Doctor Skerrit, had given that so-called Apposition leader 6months to read and analysed plus understanding the budget that guy would still come back with goat crap, This is a country prime minister Skerrit, is running and not a preschool play ground.
I listened to honourable Lintons response to the budget…WOW!WOW!WOW!!! WOW!!WOW!!WOW!!
That was SUPER! No wonder the PM and his 17 square pegs in round holes are so ruffled by even Honourable LLL Leader Lennox Lintons present! This man is miles ahead of everyone else in our parliament..No wonder some people made it difficult for us to hear it!!
SKERRIT MUST GO
SKERRIT MUST GO
SKERRIT MUST GO NOW!
You heard it and that was not a.budget speech same old **** all the year through about passports and so on what a tool
If I were in politics I would have recorded LLL LEADER LENNOX lINTON’S RESPONSE TO SKERRIT IDIOTIC BUDGET, and have it being played on a van all around Roseau.
Not even those great orators of the past could respond to Skerrit poverty budget in this EXCELLENT MANNER!!!!!!! 99/100. GREAT WORK!!!! KEEP IT UP!!!!
Boy roosvelt u have destroyed Dominica! Nous fini bat!
It’s a pity that Dr. Thompson Fontaine isn’t an “independent expert”. I think he’d have been a good addition to the National Fiscal Policy Panel.
how foolish or sort can you be. don’t come back here, you epitomize’s the word “IDIOT”
Tsickkkk tsickkkkk be reminded that Dr. Fontaine cannot be bought. He has been harassed, accused of being a criminal, falsely arrested and an election stolen from him by the nincompoop Cabal. So I dare say it would be fool hardy to even think that as patriotic as he may be he will accept such an invite. Oh noooooo not my Former teacher …”Ora et labora”
Assertive like the rod of Moses!
Man you mean you and 17 other idiots in a cabinet of 18 are weaker than one man?Who are you crying to?Is it your fools you gather to follow you and clap while you hurl insults at people.?You are doing a very bad governance job,but you did tell Dominicans “”Leadership is everything””.You are right because Dominicans of all colour are cathing the heat now.You are a “Misleader”,not a leader.I FEEL SO GOOD THAT HONOURABLE LLL,Leader Lennox Linton haS you going mad..I wiill soon alert Dr Benji…
lol…
Comedy before the end. LOL
Roosevelt, here you are making some stupid erroneous argument about Lennox lack regard for your budget. No one with simple commonsense, knowing how a budget is prepared, and tabled would appreciate the nonsense you presented!
Roosevelt, when we are talking about a budget, there must be an ” outline ” stating what you propose to do in every sector in the community, and how much it will cost to build. when you have a program outlined, then you add it together, hence you arrive at a total cost in dollars and cents.
In the case of maintaining infrastructure one need to say “X” amount is budgeted for the maintenance of roads, schools; ect; how much is budgeted for healthcare. You need to state the estimated amount needed to pay civil servants, and a certain amount to be in reserve for unforeseen events such as disasters from hurricanes, and other, situations.
You simply talk a lot of baloney, sweet sounding words to which your puppets who applaud. You, increases the budget by…
Continue:
You simply talk a lot of baloney, sweet sounding words to which your puppets who applaud. You, increases the budget by some one hundred seventy-one million dollars or there about, nevertheless, I personally have not heard you explain for what purpose that additional amount will be used.
Perhaps, I would be correct to your last budget and this one are precisely the same, except you increased it by a little over one hundred seventy million dollars. There is nothing new in your budget design to move Dominica an inch forward!
For one who said you majored in the English language should know the how imperative is an outline, that is one of the first thing one learns as an English Major!
Which budget? Your budget is only based on selling passports; how long will that last? You are surrounded by medium shakes who will vomit every thing out when you will be caught in your own trap…
You are not looking good as before Skerrit. Things start to turn sour for you and by all means, you are looking for a scapegoat. You have created your own down fall.You have no budget; selling passports does not promote growth. Right now many of the corrupted foreigners who purchased a passport are wanted by their country of origin. When will you learn that selling passports is not a factory producing goods to make a profit? The pit hole is now empty and your turn will come to fill it.
Kerrit how are these citizens living of these salaries really smh.sad man you should be ashamed,to mention.
Message to Mr Skerrit, and his government, If i were you Mr Skerrit, i would not be taking any notice of Lennox Linton, and his so-called piles of crap, I would feel more at home with crocodiles than with Linton, that idiot ,this is a two face jackass and he doesn’t care of anyone apart of his self not even his little stupid supporters .
You are so stupid although I told you to write ” so called; you continue write so-called. Tell me, explain tome what is your purpose of hyphening “so called.”
I doubt Lennox would be a fool like to write so much nonsense! You are so dumb, and dunce instead of writing “himself” you are stupid you wrote “his self” that’s not proper English Mr. Idiot Man Eat Raw Dog Meat!
You could have fooled me if you told me that Mountain Chicken Carpaud Mentality Dr. Punjab that Dominica only Knight is not your English teacher.
Happy talking nonsense Mr. Fool; you are a dog eh!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhaahha
@ Francisco, Just because you inherited the name Telemaque, from Senegal West Africa wallow tribe in Dakar, You making out to be more educated than the average Dominican, I don’t need you to tell me how to write Socall or so-called you are all dry goat poo, no wander bad luck always come looking for you
Soooo,just out of curiosity give us some highlights of the budget presented by mr skeritt.Tell us a bit more what what the new changes were.
Skerrit your ineptness as PM has nothing to do with HONOURABLE Linton.Stop believing that you can make level headed Dominicans hate honourable LINTON…It just cannot happen.You were shown that in ELECTION 2014,where DLP tail was saved from being severed only by BRIBING,IMPORTED VOTERS,and TREATING…17589 votes.Subtract your imported votes,and UWP under LLL,Leader Lennox Linton won.You know that ence the virulent attack on him..THAT CANNOT WORK!So stop your foolishness.Linton is a better leader,much smarter,more articulate and broad minded than you.Try to debate him nah!!!Your little boy in a tantrum.Honourable Linton has your toy??
SKERRIT MUST GO
SKERRIT MUST GO
SKERRIT MUST GO NOW
PM you cannot have it your way and you can fool some people some of the times but you cannot fool them all of the times, I also listen to the Opposition leader too I’m a patriot and I like hearing both sides this time I have to say for all those years the present administrations have been stifling the progress of the development of the Island, one of my main concern is the Hospital and what a negative roll of the PM, the people on the Island should be placed a head of party and all he cares about is what he can get first, It was the constant pushing of the Opposition that we get to see the amount of cash flowing around, and how is he spend it ?
,I don’t believe just talking and showing very little action is nonsensical to say the least we need action and we need the PM and his ministers to get with it and respect the people enough is enough. Another thing personal attack does no good in development again lack of disrespect which the administration is preview too and that’s low.
“establishment of a fiscal policy panel which will provide independent scrutiny and critic of the government fiscal policies.”
with 18 ministers and countless advisors to the PM the state still needs to incur further costs for employing a fiscal policy panel? OR did i miss the part that says they will be working for free?
Can u all behave as responsible grown up
“It made no mention of the bold steps to make our income tax rates more competitive, boosting incentives to work and they need to develop an entrepreneurial spirit and character in our society,” the Prime Minister complained.
As long as our minimum wage remains the lowest in the region no amount of lowering the tax rate will matter! Inflation and increasing costs of living does not give a rats behind about tax rates when wages are so low!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hmmm the washington times just had an article on how the minimum wage actually hurts those it is supposed to help, educate yourself
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/11/editorial-unrealistic-minimum-wages-and-maximum-gr/
Raising the bar for zero income tax from E.E.25,000 to E.C$,.30,000 represents a saving of E.C.$. 750/year (E.C,$,5,000 @ 15%) or E.C.62/month,000, the cost of roughly 1/2 pizza and less than three Kubuli’s a week! Every reduction is welcome, of course but I do not think this measure has a significant impact on the spending power of our wage earners and I suspect less so on the revenue stream of the government given the limited number of our working population, who are paid the equivalent of E.C.2,500/month ($30,0000 divided by 12).
it’s time for us to move away from the era of the labor party.
…Part of its job ( NFPP )will be to ADVISE [ emphasis mine] the Government on economic and fiscal policies…
the PM said. My concern here is on the word ADVISE. We all know that ADVISE may be given yet disregarded. If the PM is really serious, why is it not made MANDATORY that the Government ACCEPT this ADVISE?? Another game is being played?? Just asking.
HOTEP!
Please do make the names public and their place of origin too… the real 1…
a fiscal policy panel which will provide independent scrutiny and critic of the government fiscal policies.” I know you at not serious. Every thing in Dominica is scrutinized by you & you only Roosevelt Skerrit
Independent panel? Man, you can’t even leave the electoral commission alone, that is supposed to be protected by the constitution but then again, you do not recognize the constitution do you P.M.?