While he affirmed on Tuesday that the government still aims to have the web shop sector regulated by July 1, Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe later told The Nassau Guardian he is more concerned about getting the process right than meeting deadlines.

During a nationally-televised press conference in the Cabinet Office, Wilchcombe said the government still intends to regulate the web shop sector by the start of the new fiscal year.

He was asked by The Nassau Guardian if he feared backlash if the government misses the target, considering the Christie administration has not met several other self-imposed deadlines.

The government has delayed the start of the proposed value-added tax (VAT), which it said it planned to implement on July 1, and has also postponed a promised constitutional referendum several times.

"We never said that we are perfect people," Wilchcombe said. "We are working on something. We may discover [something] to cause a delay. "No government is perfect. Obamacare didn't start on time.

It didn't work the way they wanted it to work, but he's not perfect." Wilchcombe was referring to U.S. President Barack Obama's universal healthcare plan. "Governance is about doing it correctly.

Governance is about making the right decisions, being honest with the Bahamian people. From time to time when something is not working the way you want it to work, you have to stop and start over again," he said.

"If we're going to be condemned for everything we say, then I believe what's going to happen is we're going to find ways not to say anything. That's not what you want."

In March, Wilchcombe said he would push for web shops to be regulated by July 1. However, last month, Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez told The Nassau Guardian that date is unrealistic.

He said December 31 was more realistic. When asked about the disparity between his proposed deadline for web shop regulation and Gomez's, Wilchcombe said, "Mr. Gomez is in the attorney general's office.

"He's doing a tremendous amount of work. They're working with us, but we are pushing the envelope. We are working towards being ready for July 1.

"Damian is a very accomplished legal mind and I'm sure that he gave careful thought to what he was saying, but he is thinking about the entire process and various things."

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