Govt extends Property Tax payment deadline

Senior Political Reporter

A date will be given on Monday for an extension of the September 30 deadline for property tax payments and by the end of October, it is expected that the Board of Inland Revenue will be able to accept payments by Automated Clearing House (ACH) bank transfer credit card.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert announced this in Parliament yesterday in response to queries from UNC MP Rodney Charles on the issue of property tax payments and a possible extension to the month-end deadline.

Both Imbert and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley replied to Opposition queries on this, after chaos and long lines have been experienced outside Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) offices by citizens seeking to pay their taxes.

Charles told Imbert that the BIR Division Office at Princes Town—where Charles said he paid his tax —has one cashier to receive property tax payments from hundreds of constituents daily. He asked what urgent steps are being taken to improve the payment process.

Imbert said there are a number of revenue offices all over Trinidad and Tobago. In Trinidad, he said there are two in San Fernando and two in Port-of-Spain at the BIR headquarters. He said there is also one office each in Sangre Grande, Siparia, Chaguanas, Tunapuna, Couva, Rio Claro, Mayaro, Point Fortin and La Brea.

“In Port-of-Spain and San Fernando, payments are being accepted using Linx machines, in addition to cash, personal cheques and managers’ cheques. So payment procedures for payment of property tax aren’t limited to cash,” Imbert said.

Imbert also cited recent statements on what the ministry is doing to deal with online solutions such as bank transfers using ACH credit card payments.

“And I expect by the end of October, the Board of Inland Revenue will be able to accept payments by ACH bank transfer credit card,” Imbert added.

Imbert said consideration is also being given to an extension of payment time.

“On Monday, the extended date will be announced,” he said.

Charles, who is now seated lower down the UNC’s bench, had earlier engaged in banter with Imbert.

“I trust the minister’s here, it’s so far I can’t see him. In case you’re here, please speak loudly so I can hear you,” Charles said with laughter.

Imbert, also laughing, said, “I was looking to see who asked the question … when I looked (at Charles’ former seat), I said ‘where’s this man?’ And when I look so, I see the member ‘dong’ so …”

PM happy at response

Prime Minister Rowley, replying to UNC MP Rudy Indarsingh’s queries on the issue, said, “The Government is pleased that so very many citizens have made it their duty to try to comply, notwithstanding the efforts put into encouraging them not to support the Government’s improvement measures.”

Rowley acknowledged that at the end of the month there was a confluence of taxpayers attempting to make various payments, both property tax and the usual normal taxes that are paid.

“As a result of this enthusiasm which focused at the end of the month, the Government did consider some sort of adjustment is required and the Finance Minister will address that very early in the coming week,” Rowley said.

Hinds: Cops watching banks, revenue offices

National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds also replied to UNC MP Roodal Moonilal’s query on measures being undertaken by the T&T Police Service to protect citizens, following “widespread security concerns” over the withdrawal of cash from banks for tax payments.

Hinds said the Commissioner of the Inland Revenue Department had raised the issue of security a long time ago with the police, “and the police are sensitive to the issues and treating with it”.

“This is taking place in the Central, Southwestern, Eastern, Port-of-Spain, Southern, Tobago and Northern and Tobago police divisions, where district revenue offices are located. So far, based on information available to me, there has not been any report of any particular robbery or larceny in relation to the matter (raised by Moonilal),” Hinds added.

Hinds said, “Generally, banks, financial institutions, including district revenue offices, receive special focus from the TTPS. They have internal security and the TTPS deals with issues outside of that­—there’s collaboration on the basis of intelligence between the internal security and the TTPS.

“Recently, the police have announced and they have, in fact, intensified their anti-crime strategies, including mobile and foot patrols, the ‘joint army/police’ patrols and inclusive of plain clothes patrols, paying particular attention to those kinds of institutions targeting known and prolific offenders, including the regular ‘snatchers’ and robbers known to them in certain communities and hotspots.”

Hinds said around heightened activity periods like Christmas, Carnival, long weekends and fortnights (pay days), the TTPS heightens its activity very generally.

“Wherever persons are gathered and there are large amounts of money known to the police, heightened security by the police is always the practice.”