Budget to be read Monday, Barrow to push through bill

This coming Monday in Belmopan, the House of Representatives will meet to hear the long awaited budget presentation for the financial year 2008-2009. It is the first budget to be tabled by Prime Minister Dean Barrow, who will use the occasion to table a bill that it intends to ram through a second and third reading on the same day, so as to enact it into law at the speed of light. That Bill is for an Act to amend the Supreme Court of Judicature Act which will essentially enforce orders from the lower court in respect of taxes when there is an appeal before the higher court. If you have been following the news, you know that government has been back and forth in court facing legal battles over the issue of business taxes. On July eighteenth, the Supreme Court is expected to give an interpretation on whether Section 112 of the Income Tax Act provides for the suspension of any decision by the lower court upon an appeal at the higher court. But that will be on Friday by which time government would have had its say.