PM Douglas thanks Opposition member for observation

File photo of St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas during an Ask The Prime Minister Radio Programme. (Photo by Erasmus Williams)

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, FEBRUARY 29TH 2012 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas says the Value Added Tax (VAT) programme works best when members of the public share with their observations with the Tax Reform Unit of the Inland Revenue Department.

During Tuesday’s live weekly radio programme, Prime Minister Douglas commenting on a matter raised in the debate in the National assembly by an opposition parliamentarian said audio-interference interrupted his response on the issue on whether or not VAT was being charged on the chalk that is used in schools.

“I knew, and my colleagues knew, that this Government had always intended that chalk would be among the educational items exempted from VAT. Very basic, very straight forward. What we did not, during National Assembly, know, was that this item had been inadvertently left off the zero-rated items VAT list,” said Prime Minister Douglas, who is also Minister of Finance.

“When a member opposite suggested that VAT was, indeed, being charged, therefore, we simply could not believe it- since we knew that that was never the intention. At any rate, we soon learned that this item had, indeed, in error, been left off the list. And so, just as quickly, we moved to ensure that this error would be corrected, and that VAT will no longer be charged on this item,” said Dr. Douglas.

In thanking the opposition parliamentarian for bringing the matter to the attention of the Government during the sitting of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Douglas noted doing so enables the Government to make any necessary corrections, and to move forward.

“Communication, cooperation, feedback and follow up. That is what has made the system work thus far, and this is what will keep it working,” said Prime Minister Douglas.