Attorney General: “IF it is true that any entity is not paying its taxes, they should be held accountable”
Information to News Five is that B.T.L. Chair Net Vasquez wrote to Financial Secretary asking for a write-off. Joseph Waight says he has not seen a letter. We attempted several times to get in contact with Acting Commissioner of GST, Evan Brown but all our attempts have proved futile. We did manage to ask Cabinet minister and Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte about it on Wednesday after the sitting of the Senate. Peyrefitte, while not aware of the specific topic, said that all companies must pay GST or face the penalties.
Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General
“I am not aware of that, but if they are delinquent in their taxes they should pay the penalty that anybody would have to pay. In this case, if you look at the new piece of tax legislation it would say that anybody who is a manager, director, finance officer, IF it is true that any entity is not paying its taxes, they should be held accountable. Plain and simple, there isn’t no ifs, buts or ands about that.”
Reporter
“You don’t recall that it was ever brought to the House for any of those taxes to be wiped out so that they can pay their dividends while they were…”
Michael Peyrefitte
Michael Peyrefitte
“I am not aware of that.”
Reporter
“Because that is the case that someone is making – that it may not be that they owe those thirty million but…”
Michael Peyrefitte
“I don’t remember that coming to the Senate.”
Reporter
“But if it were the case, as the state-owned company, it should not be made a case because it is a state-owned company and so you are not suppose to or…”
Michael Peyrefitte
“It is not a state-owned company. The government just happens to have the most shares in it, but it is not a state-owned company. It is a private company but even so, it doesn’t matter. Anybody who is liable to pay taxes should pay the taxes and there should be penalties affixed to anybody who purposely avoid taxes that they should pay. It doesn’t not matter who you are, you need to pay your taxes like everybody else.”
