Tourism stakeholders in Antigua meet with Ministry of Finance officials
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| Published on Thursday, November 5, 2009 |
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ST JOHN'S, Antigua -- Minister of Finance, the Economy and Public Administration, Harold Lovell, has assured stakeholders in the Antigua and Barbuda tourism industry that while the results might not be visible to the onlooker, the government has in fact already reduced expenditure by 19 percent.
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| Harold Lovell |
The minister was responding to concerns expressed at today’s stakeholder consultation that enough was not being done to trim government spending.
Lovell explained that the administration was working within a three year timeframe during which public sector reform, including rationalisation of ministries, would be undertaken.
The mainly tour operators and airline representatives attending the meeting were also perturbed about the low levels of ABST compliance and the government’s apparent unwillingness to prosecute those who collected the ABST and failed to pay the revenues over to the Inland Revenue Department.
They also expressed concern that many businesses are operating in Antigua and Barbuda and are not captured in the tax net. Lovell advised the participants that revenue reform measures, including the option of prosecuting offenders who withhold ABST revenue, would be implemented under the Fiscal Consolidation Programme.
The stakeholder consultations continue on Friday with the media. | | | | Reads : 476 | | | |
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