Uncertainty over revenue collection for Tobago

Senior Reporter

kay-marie.fletcher@guardian.co.tt

As the Government moves forward with its implementation of the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority (TTRA), there is uncertainty when it comes to who will now oversee Tobago’s revenue collection.

Before the new authority’s formation, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) managed revenue collection for Tobago, while the Finance Ministry’s Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise divisions managed it in Trinidad.

With the merging of the two bodies, Inland Revenue officers have been deployed to Tobago.

But, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said yesterday there was still no one in charge for Tobago.

The only thing that was certain, he said, was that monies collected would be deposited into the THA account.

Imbert said, “That has been a point of serious discussion between the THA and myself, as to exactly how the Revenue Authority would operate in Tobago and who would be doing to revenue collection and so on. “Revenue collection, of course, is done by customs and done by Inland Revenue. I’m advised that at this point in time, the Inland Revenue officers are employed by the Ministry of Finance and deployed to Tobago and customs is a kind of split arrangement, so we are looking at it now to see how to rationalise it so it’s consistent with the revenue laws. We haven’t reached a final conclusion yet, but what will happen is that the revenue will be collected in Tobago and deposited into a special account of the THA, that will continue.

“It’s just the question of who is in charge and who will have oversight over the residents in Tobago who are actually doing the collection. That hasn’t been settled yet.”

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine did not respond to calls from Guardian Media concerning the issue.

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