Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis yesterday called on Prime Minister Perry Christie to release the tax status of all members of Parliament and senators.
Minnis made the call a day after Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson said he would expose current and former FNM politicians who he said have dodged their real property taxes over the years.
The controversy over outstanding taxes came after The Nassau Guardian revealed that the government's value-added tax (VAT) messenger Ishmael Lightbourne has not paid his real property taxes for at least 10 years.
Minnis said the news about Lightbourne highlights the need for the public to know the tax status of those who are in public office.
"It should not be that tax cheats are sitting over us imposing new taxes while they fail to pay their way as required by law," said Minnis during the mid-year budget debate in the House of Assembly.
"I for one, Mr. Speaker, believe it would be appropriate for the people of The Bahamas to be informed on the tax status of its leaders beginning with the prime minister, the minister of finance and the leader of the opposition.
"We are honorable men and women in this place and so I call on the prime minister to provide for the information of members of this honorable House and of the Bahamian people, a list of residential real property tax status of all members of the House of Assembly and Senate.
"We can at least begin in here. If we call ourselves honorable, let's begin here."
Gibson hit out at the FNM for being "hypocritical" in its call for Lightbourne to resign or be fired.
"They are hypocrites," said Gibson before heading into a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
He said it would "shock" the public to learn the identities of prominent Bahamians who have never paid real property taxes.
He suggested that Lightbourne's unpaid taxes are a reflection of the financial hardships that many in the country have experienced over the past few years.
Minnis said he was offended by Gibson's defense of Lightbourne.
"He is suggesting and basically supporting that the individual did not pay because of hardship," Minnis said. "My God, the whole Bahamas has hardship. . .what is he saying, don't pay your taxes because you're having hardship?
"We're hypocrites? But, Mr. Speaker, who is more hypocritical? They're saying that individuals are not paying because of hardship but at the same time they want to inflict more hardship by bringing taxes."
Prime Minister Perry Christie has not spoken publicly about the issue since Friday.
At the time, he said he wanted to find out exactly what Lightbourne said to The Nassau Guardian before addressing the controversy publicly.
"It does involve a human being, who was the top professional managing partner of a firm, and who was employed by me, and I have not spoken to him since," Christie said.
Christie did not take questions from reporters yesterday.

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