Graduates of the Tax Audit and Revenue Administration post-graduate programme listen attentively during the graduation exercise in the Senior Common Room on the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer MICHAEL PEART, the Minister of State for Finance and Planning, yesterday cautioned a newly-certified group of revenue agents not to allow themselves to fall prey to those involved in permeating corruption.
"Anybody who has to deal with Government revenue is a potential target for those involved in corruption," said Mr. Peart, suggesting there were those who would seek to influence them but that they should do whatever it took to resist the temptation.
He was addressing a graduation exercise for 54 revenue agents who pursued the Tax Audit and Revenue Administration post-graduate diploma programme organised by the Management Institute for National Development (MIND). The ceremony was held in the Senior Common Room on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).
Mr. Peart, pointing out that corruption has pervaded the society at practically all levels, said "we blind ourselves about it within our circle and talk about it being over there, but not over here. But it is everywhere," he said. As long as money was involved, there was talk of corruption, "and it is something that this country has to grapple with," the Minister said.
Against the background of the impact of globalisation, the State Minister also suggested that Jamaica should move away from the insularity of operating by itself and adopt a regional approach in order to survive.
"Jamaica has a lot to do and we can't do it by ourselves," said Mr. Peart. "We would be more successful if we do so as a region. We can't be insular," he added. However, he said that instead of that approach there seemed to inertia and malaise that prevented the region from presenting a united front on the issue.
The addition of the 54 revenue agents brings to 438 the number of such tax specialists who have been trained since the programme began in 1987.
A centrepiece of the Government's thrust for improvement in the assessment and collection of revenue, the training was organised around the idea that one agent could be used to carry out a range of services instead of a number of officers representing different tax branches calling on the same taxpayer at different times. The revenue agent investigates the full realm of tax responsibilities of each taxpayer with whom he/she come in contact.
The Tax Administration Services Department (TASD), in collaboration with MIND, selects and trains tertiary graduates
with a degree or diploma in Accounting, Management Studies, Business Administration and other related disciplines.
After they have successfully completed the 13-month course, graduates are appointed as revenue agents and assigned to the various revenue departments.
Mr. Peart said that although "a lot" was happening in terms of making the revenue departments more efficient, there was still need for improvement.
In lauding the new revenue agents for remaining in Jamaica so they could be of service to their country when so many other young professionals had migrated, Mr. Peart said he was hoping they would be able to set the stage to move much of the current informal sector into the formal economy.
