THE EDITOR, Sir:
I NOTED with interest the report of the discussions recently held with your business associates on the matter of bureaucracy and business. One of the changes that the bureaucracy could institute is in the manner in which statutory deductions are made, paid over to the government, and the returns that have to be made at the end of the year.
It is all about forms and more forms. The National Insurance has one set of forms, the Education Trust another set, the Housing Trust another set. Some are paid at one place, some at another, in some the employer pays so much and the employee so much. And they differ.
At the end of the year different returns are made on a different set of forms for each of the organisations etc. All this could be simplified by the institution of one form, one amount called statutory deductions collected and paid over to the Internal Revenue Department and the allocation made to the respective departments at the Finance Ministry level.
If proper bookkeeping is kept at that level or proper computer recording made there will then be no need for the multiplicity of forms or returns during or at the end of the year. Perhaps you could bring this to the attention of the new bureaucrats.
I am, etc.,
R.G. LAMPART
Retired employee of the bureaucracy
