2018/19 Budget Communication 2018_2019 BUDGET COMMUNICATION | Page 101

either virtually the same or even smaller amounts for
2018/19 than they were allocated in 2017/18.
Similarly,
the
tax
reductions
that
we
are
announcing are selective and in line with our social and
policy commitments to Bahamians. The various increases in
fees, service charges and taxes that are being implemented
have been selected to advance environmental and energy
efficiency objectives and/or judiciously enhance revenues.
The bottom line is that we must pay off the massive
backlog of arrears, judiciously finance our policy agenda,
meet our deficit targets and set the stage for the pending
reductions in Customs duties. That is a most daunting fiscal
policy challenge indeed that requires decisive, though
difficult, policy action.
To address that challenge, we are proposing a three-
year fiscal strategy that will allow us to both deal with the
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