A SELECT GROUP of business people in Barbados with connections in the Customs and Excise Department is fleecing the Treasury of substantial amounts of tax revenue and making it extremely hard for some legitimate importers and distributors to get their products sold.
Yesterday morning Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler confirmed he had received a “legitimate complaint” from one of the badly affected companies, Bryden Stokes, and just three days ago had raised it at a meeting that was attended by officials in the manufacturing and small business sectors as well as customs.
WEEKEND NATION investigation revealed that one of the major culprits was an officer of the customs department who was connected to a company that imported items such as Bounty paper products, Pringles snacks and Monster energy drink, all of which attract duty in excess of 100 per cent, but which were being sold at prices “that do not reflect this imposition”. (RRM)
Please read the full story in today’s Weekend Nation, or in the eNATION edition.
