Established October 1895 Advocates call for youth-centred policy, personnel at GIS PAGE 2 Tuesday March 23, 2021 $1 VAT Inclusive More must be done to help small businesses PRESIDENT of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), Verla De Peiza, believes that there needs to be some economic diversification, but with the opportunity of enfranchisement for small businesses to build out the economy. De Peiza delivered this sentiment during The Sunday Roast of the DLP, titled Estimates 2021-2022: DLP Responds. She made the argument that diversification of an economy is an exercise that is best undertaken when the economy is booming, and noted that there had not been a boom for a long time. She also acknowledged that in the last three years of the DLP administration in 2015, 2016 and 2017, there was growth but it was negligible. De Peiza explained that since January 2020, the DLP had framed a programme which was designed to enfranchise GETTING A TREAT!: With restrictions being in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Barbadian shoppers and Barbadians. However, she business operators have made sure that they follow the rules to keep themselves safe. The Barbados Advocate witnessed this in stated that what is happening action, with this vendor (left) making sure he was well prepared to provide a delicious snack to his two customers, while they also made sure they were well protected. DLP RESPONDS on Page 3 NO TAX INCREASES DESPITE the significant have to go back to Barbadians the tax structure, it would not Income Taxes, and that would gave back in any of the last few gap between projected and to inflict taxes at the very be to bridge the gap between have been expected with the years it was in office. revenue and expenditure time that they’re not going to what we earn and what we level of layoffs we had last year. “Mr. Speaker, we have given for the current financial position to receive them or spend, but to enhance efficiency. Because at the end of the day if back over $62.6 million in year, Prime Minister Mia pay them,” said Mottley as According to the PM, who is people are not earning they’re refunds, in this year alone in Amor Mottley has made it she led off the debate on the also the Minister of Finance, not paying taxes, and at the Income Taxes... I am saying clear her Government has Appropriation Bill in the House Economic Affairs and same time they are drawing that conscious that, you know, no intention at this time of of Assembly yesterday morning. Investment, even though there down the unemployment when we say these things, increasing taxes to bridge She added, “To that extent, were significant declines in benefit,” she said. and we talk about what that gap. I say to you, confidence is the respect of Income Tax and Mottley told the Lower House Government has done, or hasn’t “We have taken a decision most important currency that Value Added Tax (VAT) that Income Tax receipts in it done, more often than not internally that we believe so this Government has literally receipts, Government was able fiscal year 2019/20 was $492.9 people ignore the fact that we long as we can get economic traded in, by being able to to collect more in Corporation million and it is projected to brought back regularity to activity moving again in this show people that when we Tax than normally would have be $303.7 million this year. the payment of Income Tax country, fully again, the tax say we would do ‘X’ we do it, been collected, moving from Additionally, she said VAT refunds, and Corporation Tax structure that we have should particularly in our economy $385 million in the previous receipts are expected to drop by refunds and Value Added Tax be adequate to carry us and financial affairs.” financial year to $502.3 million over $340 million from $1.041 refunds, even as we paid off through. And what has bridged With that in mind, she this financial year. Without billion collected in 2019/20. over $400 million in arrears us, as I said, is the fact that the contended that Government that, she indicated, the All that, she said, was a result already that we inherited, and confidence that we’ve created cannot tax its way out of any country’s revenue situation of the pandemic. The Prime still have another couple internationally, has allowed crises, and indicated that they would have been significantly Minister noted that in spite of hundred million dollars, just others to step forward and are holding fast at this time to worse off. that, her Government has given under 300 and something provide the funding to build the current tax structure. She “At the same time we’ve had more tax refunds in this fiscal million, to pay off,” she added. that bridge, such that we do not indicated that if they do revisit a significant contraction in year than the last Government (JRT) 2 • Tuesday March 23, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Call for youth-centred ‘We have concerns!’ policy, personnel at GIS A 12-HOUR virtual several youth advocates Affairs Minister temic change at the GIS. resentation on the new HIV/AIDS and former protest was held and concerned citizens announced sweeping “In relation to specific GIS Board. We recom- sex workers. across social media came together to see changes to the board at appointees, some of mend Christa Soleyn.” It was noted that she platforms yesterday meaningful change at the the GIS. However, some whom have made deeply It was noted that also has extensive ex- with repeated calls Government Industrial questioned the make-up concerning public state- Soleyn is a practising perience in trauma and made directly to School (GIS), in light of of the board. ments that reasonably and registered clinical crisis intervention coun- Minister of Home the recent report of a 14- In fact, new Chairman call into question their psychologist, project selling; institutional fa- Affairs Wilfred year-old girl seen lying of the National Youth ability to oversee the af- management consultant miliarity through experi- Abrahams as well naked on the concrete Policy Committee, Sade fairs of GIS and its vul- and lecturer who has ence working with GIS in as Prime Minister floor in solitary confine- Jemmott, highlighted nerable populations with significant experience outreach programmes; Mia Amor Mottley to ment at the Barrow’s, that youth-centred policy, the necessary compas- working with margin- and is the founder and #protectourgirls. St. Lucy facility. practice and personnel sion and understanding alised populations, board chairperson of the The call came as On Saturday,the Home are needed to see sys- and there is no youth rep- including survivors of United Youth leaders of domestic and sexual vio- Barbados, dedicated to lence, the LGBT commu- youth empowerment for nity, persons living with the past 14 years. Chairman of the National Youth Policy Committee, Sade Jemmott. Christa Soleyn is a practising and registered clinical psychologist, project management consultant and lecturer. The Barbados Advocate Tuesday March 23, 2021 • 3 ‘Give as many options for entrepreneurship’ DLP RESPONDS from Page 1 Massive blow is that our people are remain- THE COVID-19 pandemic 2019/20 fiscal year the country ing in a cycle, from generation has hit this country hard, re- was running a “healthy surplus” to generation, of serving other sulting in an almost $2 bil- and did not need to borrow any people. lion drop in economic activ- money, the same cannot be said “The recognition is that the ity during the current finan- for the current financial year majority of revenue generation cial year, which ends in just which ends on March 31, 2021. in the private sector goes to- over a week. She said to close the gap, wards a small per cent of our That’s according to Prime Government has had to borrow people. What that does is it Minister and Minister of $1.047 billion. makes the rest of us servants of Finance, Economic Affairs and “So having had a set of them,” said De Peiza. “There Investment, Mia Amor Mottley. circumstances where this has been some slide in the last Piloting the debate on the Government was able to carry two years where we keep seeing Appropriation Bill in the House out the affairs of this country the same players come to the of Assembly yesterday morning, without recourse to significant front and the same people are President of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), Verla Mottley referred to the figures, borrowings in the conduct getting the opportunities.” De Peiza. showing that the country’s nom- of our annual Estimates of She stated that the goal inal GDP in March 2020 was Expenditure and Revenue for should be enfranchisement of and calypso and what happens into and we are not satisfied $10.5 billion, and this fiscal year 2019 to 2020. We cannot repeat the small businesses with the at Crop Over, but we are talk- that we are seeing that coming it stands at $8.54 billion, “as a the same this year, regrettably, expectation that a small busi- ing about the agricultural side out with the present adminis- result of COVID and all that and we know why,” she said. ness will eventually become a products and the development tration. You can test the seri- COVID has brought to us”. Breaking down the figures medium-sized business and of manufacturing coming out of ousness by where the money is “...We know it instinctively, further, she said Fiscal Year then hopefully face the island that.