by Man from Baker Hill
Taxation is the first Law of Nature; it is also a Law of God. It is the only means by which a community can respectfully take care of itself. And if we truly love Montserrat, God and our neighbors we must seek to understand taxation and to respect our system of Tax laws, absolutely.
Yes! Love of Montserrat requires residents to take care of the island and to keep things right and clean. This ‘love of Montserrat thing’ embraces principles that demand each person living on Montserrat to become an honorable resident by a decision of his own will. This’ love thing’ further requires that each resident should work with all others so that Montserrat is at peace, law abiding, and that the laws and regulations are of a well ordered structure; but more importantly, that residents of Montserrat comply with these laws and regulations, absolutely.
Jesus said, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself”. Jesus also said, “Pay unto Caesar, that which is Caesar’s”. But what is Caesar? Symbolically, it is our community, it is Montserrat. And what is Caesar’s? Exactly, what was Jesus teaching about? He was educating the people about taxation; he reinforced that residents must pay taxes in order to maintain the dignity of their community. Jesus extolled citizens to be right with Caesar. And Montserratians have the right to be right… that is, to keep the rules on which our society depends; and also the right to assist to build a society for the good of all within the society.
This is love of country, the love of Montserrat; it means to keep the rules. It is to help the widows and the fatherless. It is also to build and to protect the resources of Montserrat. The right to be right commands that each Montserratian pay his fair share of taxes for the common good; and allows us to create our own destiny. It therefore makes every man his own leader in the TAX REFORMATION PROCESS.
Again, ‘Love of Montserrat’ means to take care of it and to pay back towards its maintenance a fair share of what the individual receives from that country… through the will and goodness of God. Taxation then, is akin to a Law of nature; as we receive oxygen from the air we give back carbon dioxide so as to participate in the balance of nature.
Therefore in a country of the rich and the poor each individual must try, in every way he can, to help those in his community who are in need of help. We must give back! This is best accomplished through fair taxation. It is only through fair taxation and compliance with the tax laws of a country that love of country could be exemplified. To believe otherwise reflects a lack of intelligence and integrity.
If one does not pay his fair share of taxation, he is false to his country. He is false to his world; and when this falsehood gets big enough we have chaos, ignorance and much more madness on Montserrat. But more importantly, major parts of our community are neglected. Montserrat will not be able to maintain its schools, hospital and nursing homes.
I know that the rules of taxation were delivered to mankind through the Love of God. And I believe that the flames of fire and the abundance of ash from the crest of our ever awake ‘Soufriere Hill Mountains’ is a reminder of the importance of Taxation and the need to comply with the System of Tax Laws of Montserrat.
I believe that it is the duty of every individual to keep the rules of human relationships in his country. Because when these rules are broken between man and society, there shall be madness. Fair taxation Laws are some of these rules; they were ordained by God to harmonize relationships among mankind. Therefore ones relationship with those around him can be no better than his religious life. Ones religious life is a direct ratio to his relationship with those around him…so fool yourself if you can!
It is one thing to pay tithes or to spread joy; but it is also important to bring food to the mouths of those that are in need or who are hungry. These too, are acts of worship and evidence of love of God and Montserrat. Therefore to pray to God and then cheat your neighbor, of your contribution in taxes, is a very great and dangerous sacrilege.
Now the essence of this article!
Montserrat suffers. There is so much uncertainty, unfairness and skullduggery within our tax system on Montserrat that there seems to be lack of respect for the rules of taxation. Instead, there is so much legal breaking of the rules… so much waiver of taxation, so many waivers of customs duty and consumption tax. Montserrat suffers!
The last election was won without a mention of the word Taxation.
Yet in the last session of the Legislative Council in 2014 there were so many Resolutions passed to grant tax concessions (tax avoidance and tax evasions) to specially selected persons who might be friends of politicians. These were called SR&O’s; they are special certificates of approval to avoid and to evade taxes.
Yet the persons who received those tax evasion certificates hardly ever submit accounting and financial statements to support their demands to avoid taxes; still they usually get through anyway. And if you were to search through the records of the Legislative council, you would notice that many of those persons who received the avoidance certificate previously received a tax forgiveness or tax write – off. Believe it, the records of the Legislative Council is replete with laws and resolutions to write – off taxes for politicians and friends of politicians.
Finally, I challenge every Montserratian to explain why it was necessary to grant SR&O 24 0f 2014 to waive Income and Corporation Tax from 2014 to 2019 for Fly Montserrat limited. Why?
Montserrat must become serious about its System of Tax Laws, the Laws of God, of Nature and of Goodness? Absolutely!
Taxation is Goodness! Montserratians celebrate it! Protect it! Admire it! Then, slowly Montserrat will prosper and become a respected nation of good citizens.
