DIRECTOR GENERAL of Tax Administration, Clive Nicholas, is targeting delinquent taxpayers, particularly self-employed persons, with direct instructions to the Taxpayer Audit and Assessment Department (TAAD) to pursue persons who refused to file tax returns.
According to a release from the Jamaica Information Service, Mr. Nicholas said that, "we don't just want to be auditing persons who file returns who are good taxpayers; we want to make sure that we assess those persons who do not file returns".
He explained that there were persons who filed General Consumption Tax (GCT) returns "because it tends to be a strict system", but did not file their Income Tax and other returns.
Mr. Nicholas pointed out that under the new tax regime, the TAAD administered both Income Tax and GCT, which made it possible for sales to be determined over a period based on the GCT returns.
He explained that with information on a person's GCT returns, the department could assess individuals based on "a reasonable net profit to sales...and that is what we will proceed to do".
After the TAAD makes an assessment in regards to tax arrears, the person assessed has the right to object within a 30-day period or within a time stipulated by the Commissioner of TAAD.
The funds received to finance the operations of JSIF amounted to $1.3 billion as at July 3, 2000. Several organisations provided funding for JSIF projects, including the World Bank, $705 million; the Government of Jamaica/European Union, $310 million; the Netherlands Government $64 million; the Inter-American Development Bank, $239 million and the Department for International Development, $5 million.
