The House of Representatives meets on Friday to consider a number of pieces of legislation, among them the income tax on petroleum companies bill. But one bill that won't be included is the Aquaculture Development Bill. That's the one we told you about last week which sees shrimp and fish farm interests getting generous tax breaks and self-policing powers. It's a controversial piece of legislation, particularly in a time of what should be extreme fiscal discipline. And today the Prime Minister told us it's not going to the House, at this time.
Jules Vasquez,
I don't see the shrimp and aquaculture bill on the papers that I have seen. Will that be brought before the House on Friday?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"No. As you know, the committee has made various recommendations for amendments and so the Bill is not ready to proceed with and we will not be proceeding with it this Friday."
Jules Vasquez,
Will the most objectionable exemptions that even the Ministry of Finance objected to, the lavish exemptions that are included in the Bill, will those be excerpted from it - without preempting the work of the committee?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"Well exactly you just answered it. I can't really say. The committee continues its work and we will see what the final product will be like."
Jules Vasquez,
Are you personally opposed to it, knowing the fiscal crunch we are in?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"I don't want to get into that, clearly the timing is not particularly propitious for this sort of thing."
Despite the Prime Minister's pronouncement, and his own Ministry's presentation to the House committee against the Bill, the powerful aquaculture lobby has been making the rounds gathering support for the bill. The bill has already had a first reading, so the next time it goes back, it will be for full passage by the House.
