The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PAYMENT plans and amnesty periods for people who owe substantial amounts of real property taxes are over, acting director of the Department of Inland Revenue Shunda Strachan said yesterday as her department prepares to execute its power of sale against scores of delinquent accounts.

The government has failed for years to significantly reduce the number of real property tax arrears, which Ms Strachan revealed now stands at about $900m.

After years of plans that provided little fruit, including the hiring of private collectors, the Department of Inland Revenue issued a power of sale notice concerning 108 accounts in newspapers last Thursday, 77 relating to vacant land or properties without any improvement and 41 commercial properties.

 A 30-day notice allows people to pay off their accounts, but Ms Strachan said: “There are no payment plans. There are no more amnesties. All of those things have passed, and now we’re seeking to recover the full tax amount that is due on those accounts.”

 Ms Strachan noted that the government must collect $195m in real property taxes to meet its budgetary target for this fiscal year. By the end of February, about $95m was collected.

 One hundred and twenty-two thousand, one hundred and fifty-eight properties are registered with the Department of Inland Revenue, $75,712 of which have zero balance and no issues.

 However, Ms Strachan said 42,492 accounts have more than $500 tax arrears. Thirty-eight thousand have more than $1000, 19,000 have more than $5000, 12,000 have more than $10,000, and 7,884 have more than $20,000.

 Ms Strachan said her department is open to receiving property bids until April 2nd at 4pm.