Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller said yesterday that Prime Minister Perry Christie should stop attempting to lead the country by consensus, and simply move ahead with implementing value-added tax (VAT).
"Half of these people are half crazy," Miller told The Nassau Guardian.
"You have to just do it, and if they don't like it, tough. And just say why you did it, you know; I did it because we need the funds to pay the bills the government has incurred on behalf of the Bahamian people.
"You don't like it, go move someplace else."
The government plans to implement VAT at 15 percent on most goods and services on July 1, 2014.
The new tax has caused an outcry from various sectors of the society.
With fewer than five months before the proposed introduction of VAT, Christie said this month he could still be persuaded to introduce an alternative tax model if it proves to be viable.
But Miller said yesterday had the Free National Movement won the last general election "VAT would have probably already been here and you would not hear a mutter".
"He (former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham) would have said 'listen, this is what I have to do; this is what the country needs; this is what we owe; end of story, and I'm gone," Miller said.
"You know, Mr. Ingraham doesn't care if you raise hell. He would tell you to go to hell. [He would say] that's what I had to do because of x, y and z.
"Mr. Christie, on the other hand, always wants to be the good guy. He wants to govern by consensus.
"You can't govern by consensus in this place called The Bahamas."
The government has said VAT was chosen because it is less prone to fraud and evasion, unlike a simple sales tax.
The Coalition for Responsible Taxation, which has been pushing for the government to delay VAT's implementation, has sent the government several alternative forms of tax, such as payroll tax.
However, Miller said if the government were to move ahead with a sales, payroll or even income tax regime, the opposition to the proposed tax would be the same if not worse.
"When you think of the kind of money that some of these people take home, you [are] talking about VAT, VAT is a joke [in comparison]," he said referencing to an income tax scenario.
"A person taking home $1 million and you tax him 10 percent. That is $100,000 he has to pay. He'll never pay that.
"It is just this innate thing in our heads that whatever you (the government) do, I (Bahamians) am opposed to it."
The government has not yet tabled the VAT Bill and the accompanying tariff schedule in the House of Assembly.
Christie has said the government is still making modifications to the bill based on consultations and feedback from the community.
Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis has said the bill must be finalized by the end of this month to facilitate the July 1 implementation.
The proposed tax is expected to generate an additional $200 million in revenue, according to government officials.

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