Tax Transparency or Public Shaming? PM Weighs In

Prime Minister John Briceño isn’t pleased with the Belize Tax Service’s recent move to publish the names of tax defaulters. While the agency says it’s within its legal rights, the PM believes the list should have stayed private. He argues that many small businesses end up in tax trouble not because they’re dodging payments, but because they simply don’t understand the filing process. And while the government can’t legally erase tax debts, Briceño says they’ve been stepping in to help, negotiating lower penalties and interest rates to ease the burden. But is naming and shaming tax defaulters a fair way to enforce compliance, or does it risk crushing the very small businesses the government claims to support? PM Briceño insists his administration isn’t out to hurt entrepreneurs.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“It is unfortunate that it was made public. And I am speaking for myself. It should not have been made public. We should have continued working with them. As you know there has been tremendous growth in the economy over the past four years and nobody can dispute the fact. And it is unfortunate and some small businesses in many instances because they don’t know how to file their taxes are in problems. But we stepped in. We stepped in whenever they asked us to help. We cannot write off taxes. It is only the National Assembly. But how do we help, we will try to negotiate with the Belize Tax Service to try to lower the interest tor the penalties to make it more affordable. We do not want to get anybody out of business. We want more businesses and entrepreneurs. That is why we have been working closely with BELTRAIDE for them to be able to thrive in this economy.”