Dionne Rose, Business Reporter

A 2005 file photo of the downtown tax collectorate. The Government has recently launched a six-week tax collection drive.

The Government has kicked off a six-week drive to collect $1.5 billion in outstanding taxes under a new programme dubbed the Enhanced Revenue Collection Drive.

Meris Haughton, public relations manager at the Tax Administration Services Department (TASD), told the Financial Gleaner that the programme, which started last month, should see the court issuing 70 warrants for delinquent taxpayers.

"The collection drive will continue in the new financial year where we will intensify the programme to collect outstanding liabilities," said Haughton.

"So, persons who know that they have outstanding liabilities and are not being compliant, they are being encouraged to contact anyone of the collectorate to reconcile their accounts."

So far this week, seven persons who failed to turn up at court to answer for the funds they owe have been arrested and charged.

The latest on Thursday was the principal of Bionique Medical Laboratory, a company that operates from Windward Road in Kingston.

On Wednesday, Paul Burke, former deputy general secretary of the People's National Party, was arrested and brought before the Sutton Street tax court on charges that his company, Ultra Protection Limited, owed the State more than $10 million in taxes.

These included General Consumption Tax, education tax and PAYE which were collected but not paid over to the Revenue Department.

On Monday, the owners of Corporate Motors Ltd, Superb Printing and Stationary Ltd, Speed Couriers Ltd, Cellular Jamaica Ltd and Trafalgar Christian Preparatory School were also taken to court for allegedly failing to hand over payment based on the schedule made by the courts.

The companies were said to owe a combined $40 million in taxes.

According to Haughton, com-panies that are found to be delinquent in filing tax returns are first given a written warning by the tax department before they are taken to court.

The police are expected to serve another 63 warrants for the remaining six weeks of the programme, said Haughton.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com