Established October 1895 Friday May 7, 2021 $2 VAT Inclusive Health Minister: No problems UNDER CONTROL at two schools By Cara L. Jean-Baptiste available on Saturday for any member of staff of the Princess Margaret School, THE unfolding situation at the who, because they may feel uneasy,want Princess Margaret Secondary to be tested. And we’re doing that out of School and the St. George Primary an abundance of caution as we normally School is currently under control do,” he said. and there is no need for panic. “So the major point here is that we do This assurance came from Minister of not have an outbreak at the Princess Health and Wellness, Lieutenant Colonel Margaret Secondary School, at least at Jeffrey Bostic, during a press conference this point in time. We will follow the yesterday. science and do the necessary testing.” The Minister stressed that there was Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth no problem at the two schools, even George, explained that the cases at the though they had small concerns. schools have been linked to extended “The fact is that this is really a family family clusters and noted that the cluster that we’re dealing with, which student at the St. George Primary School has spread its wings into these two tested negative in the first test and they schools and we are confident that we were waiting to perform a second test will be able to deal effectively with the on May 8, 2021. situation at these schools,” he said. “If needs be, we will certainly institute He explained that at Princess much more contact tracing. At this point Margaret Secondary School, they had with respect to Princess Margaret School, started the contact tracing of the positive there was a single exposure involving a case and have already tested a number student from the Five Upper One and of individuals and were preparing Five Upper Two. And based on that themselves to do the same at St. George information, we have identified a total of Primary School, if the situation required 58 contacts. Two of those contacts are them to. what we describe as very close contacts. He noted that the Ministry of Health And those persons are in quarantine, and was satisfied with the decision made by they will be tested today,” he said. the Ministry of Education to suspend “The plan is to test all students in the classes at the secondary school and Upper One and the Upper Two classes. resuming online classes, and added that And in addition to that, a list of teachers they would be watching the situation were provided so that we have a complete closely. picture as to where we are at, at the Minister of Health and Wellness, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic. “We have also decided to make testing school.” BRA feeling spin-off effects of pandemic FOR the fiscal period ending March 31, personal income tax, corporate income 2021, the Barbados Revenue Authority Revenue collection declines tax and reverse tax credits. The (BRA) collected just over 2.24 billion cumulative of what we see in the system, dollars, over 208 million less than it did the decline would have averaged about goes back from 1998 to present. As a the previous year. 20 per cent. remedy, we’ve established a Refunds Revenue Commissioner Louisa Lewis- She went on to state that, “VAT Team, which has commenced the process Ward, who has been at the helm of the continues to be the largest contributor of verification of all outstanding balances. Barbados Revenue Authority for the last to the tax revenues and therefore, our Some of these require careful research 11 months, says this is a direct result of policy around this tax will be carefully and examination before they can be paid the COVID-19 pandemic and a rapid monitored in the upcoming period. The and in many instances, we’re required slowing economy. Her comments came policymakers have signalled no intent to offset refunds against monies owed during a virtual media briefing held via to raise taxes in this challenged to the Authority by taxpayers. However, the Zoom online platform yesterday. environment and therefore, we will as we do recognise that there are many “This decline of eight per cent is Barbadians need to work hard and be Barbadians who faced economic primarily attributed to a decline of 192 extremely innovative to ensure recovery. challenges at this point and we are million dollars in VAT, a decline of 117 The rebound of the tourism sector will working to review these balances as a million in income tax and an excise tax be key.” matter of earnest,” Lewis-Ward stated. decline of 81 million. Secondary impact The Revenue Commissioner was felt with declines in property tax, Update given on refunds nonetheless stressed that Government withholding tax, fuel tax and the On the matter of refunds, Lewis-Ward has made significant progress in settling room rate levy of 24 million, 17 million, noted that BRA conducted an analysis of refunds, with total payments made from 15 million and 14 million dollars all tax balances included as refunds in August 2018 to present, standing at just respectively. I guess the levy reflects the the Tax Administration Management over 472 million.This includes corporate Revenue Commissioner, Louisa Lewis- impact that COVID has had on the Information System (TAMIS) of BRA by tax refunds paid of just over 11 million, Ward. tourism sector,” Lewis-Ward remarked. the end of February 2021 and given the personal income tax paid of just over On the brighter side, the Revenue balances outstanding, a Refunds Team 104 million, value added tax refunds paid include their up-to-date banking details Commissioner indicated that corporation has been set up to address the matter. of just over 307 million and reverse tax for any refunds to be processed, to enable taxes performed well, buffering some of “Balances remain outstanding to credits paid of 48 million. Lewis-Ward bank-to-bank transfers from the BRA. the negative impact and without that, taxpayers in all tax types, including VAT, is meanwhile reminding taxpayers to (RSM) 2 • Friday May 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Psychiatric Hospital staff encouraged to co-operate By Cara L. Jean- Baptiste STAFF at the Psychiatric Hospital are being urged to co-operate with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and get tested. During a press confer- ence yesterday, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth George, re- vealed that the Ministry was continuing to investi- gate the situation at the Psychiatric Hospital and highlighted that there had been some reluctance on the part of members of staff to get tested. “I would just like to let the public know that there has been some re- luctance on the part of some members of staff at the Psychiatric Hospital Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth George. not to test, and I’m just imploring you that if we The Chief Medical make sure that the issues are to get to the bottom Officer explained that the there remain contained. of the situation in the Ministry would have in- He assured that at this Psychiatric Hospital, vestigated the situation point in time, it appeared then we need the co-op- and so far, they have that the outbreak seems eration of all staff,” he found 30 staff members to be with clients and a said. across the whole plant few staff members and “Let me remind the who believe that they they would continue to public that we continue may have been exposed to actively monitor the sit- to investigate the the coronavirus in some uation. Psychiatric Hospital. As way. Minister of Health and I indicated, there are 50 He noted that they Wellness, Lieutenant individuals.Yesterday af- made a decision yester- Colonel Jeffrey Bostic, ternoon, we indicated to day afternoon to have said that much like the the public of Barbados those 30 individuals situation at the Queen that this was confined to placed in quarantine at Elizabeth Hospital, he a ward. But now there is a hotel. Dr. George ex- was confident they would one single case that has pressed that they would get on top of the situation popped up on another continue to work with the at the Psychiatric ward.” Psychiatric Hospital to Hospital. Dr. Williams: Still wear masks after jab BEING fully vaccinated cently released guidelines administration of will not exempt any indi- stating that those fully vaccines worldwide, vidual from wearing a vaccinated will no longer Barbados commences mask in Barbados. have to wear a mask or new protocols for trav- President of the social distance outdoors, ellers inoculated against Barbados Association of this is not the case on COVID-19, allowing Medical Practitioners,Dr. these shores. these individuals to Lynda Williams, made it “Those are not the quarantine for a shorter clear that both tourists guidelines for Barbados. period than those who and residents who have Fully vaccinated people haven’t. received their full course will be required to wear “The fully vaccinated of COVID-19 vaccina- masks in Barbados, even people will have less re- tions will still be required if they have received both strictions when they to wear their masks while shots of the AstraZeneca. come in. Once they are in public spaces. Let it be clear that nei- confirmed to be fully A full course is defined ther the CDC or any pub- vaccinated, they will be as two shots of the lic health agency has the required to take a rapid AstraZeneca or Moderna answer on this.