The Belize Times received reliable reports late today that the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance is seriously contemplating raising the General Sales Tax another 2.5% for a total of 15%. That move, we understand, would come in the form of a Supplemental Budget presented sometime in June.
Sources we spoke to in the Ministry of Finance were tight-lipped, but we did receive confirmation that there is concern that the raise of 2.5% in General Sales Tax will not return Mr. Barrow's anticipated windfall in revenue. While those sources would neither confirm nor deny that a supplemental budget is in the works, a source as the General Sales Tax department told us that they had sought an audience with the Prime Minister's Budget Team prior to the presentation of the budget, but were denied so had absolutely no input in the increase in GST.
That source told the Belize Times that because of the nature of the tax, GOB only retains about 1/3 of what is paid in. Most definitely a raise of 2.5% would not be enough to bridge the deficit in the budget, stated the source.
If the reports are true and Mr. Barrow raises GST to 15% in June, it is believed that per IMF recommendations, the next move will be retrenchment of public officers.
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Source: The Belize Times
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