Conditions for Improving the Property Tax in the Bahamas: Final Report
Abstract
The Commonwealth of the Bahamas has translated sound economic management, political
stability and close proximity to the world’s largest consumer market into steady growth
and high levels of per capita income. Real annual economic growth has averaged about
1.3% over the past two decades with a strong growth spurt of 4.6% during 1993-99.
Per capita income is currently about B$21,500 and over $25,000 in purchasing power
parity terms, which makes it the highest amongst the Caribbean economies. Despite
achieving growth and high levels of per capita income, the Government of the Bahamas
(GoB) faces fiscal challenges to contain public debt while sustaining public services
to support growth and development. These fiscal challenges are arising from (1) the
negative impact of the 2008-09 recession on revenues combined with increased stimulus
expenditures, (2) a narrow and volatile tax base combined with a need to modernize
and strengthen its revenue administration and (3) policy objective of joining WTO
has implications for reducing import duty rates and for non-discrimination in tax
policy This report addresses options for improving the fiscal balance in the short
and medium terms with a particular focus on the reform of the property tax system
and its potential revenue contribution. The report (1) presents an overview and performance
of the revenue base of the Bahamas exploring the nature and seriousness of the emerging
public debt build up; (2) analyzes the existing tax structures and reforms presenting
policy and administrative recommendations for improving revenue yield; (3) analyzes
property tax policies and administration to identify recommendations for improving
property tax revenue yield, equity and efficiency in the Bahamas.
Type
ReportPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/9573Citation
Kelly, R; Glenday, G; & Forde, Wayne (2011). Conditions for Improving the Property Tax in the Bahamas: Final Report. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/9573.Collections
More Info
Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Graham Glenday
Professor of the Practice Emeritus in the Sanford School of Public Policy
Graham Glenday is Professor of the Practice Emeritus of Public Policy at DCID. Before
retiring in August 2018, he was co-director of the International Taxation Program,
PARM, and BUDGET programs. He is currently working on a range of issues relating to
public investment management in the context of climate change and state owned enterprises.
He came to Duke in July 2001 from Harvard University where he was Director of the
Public Finance Group in the Kennedy School of Government an
Roy Kelly
Professor of the Practice of Public Policy in the Sanford School of Public Policy
Roy Kelly is Professor of the Practice of Public Policy, Sanford School of Public
Policy, Duke University and the Director of the Program on Fiscal Decentralization
and Local Government Financial Management. Previously, he spent 19 years with Harvard
University at the Kennedy School of Government, the Harvard Institute for International
Development (HIID), and the Harvard International Tax Program teaching local government
finance, tax analysis and project evaluation.
Kelly has over 3
Alphabetical list of authors with Scholars@Duke profiles.

Articles written by Duke faculty are made available through the campus open access policy. For more information see: Duke Open Access Policy
Rights for Collection: Scholarly Articles
Works are deposited here by their authors, and represent their research and opinions, not that of Duke University. Some materials and descriptions may include offensive content. More info