Imbert: Kamla is mistaken

He continued, “We can’t see how any reasonable person could object to this.” Imbert also pointed out, “ There is no injunction in place restraining property owners from submitting forms and/or documents on a voluntary basis.” Persad-Bissessar said the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) believes this is “a shameless attempt to hoodwink citizens into voluntarily submitting themselves to a valuation process in the face of a strong legal challenge which seeks to have the Court declare that the entire process is unconstitutional and illegal.” On Monday, the Court of Appeal said it would hear the State’s appeal of Justice Frank Seepersad’s ruling to stop the property tax’s implementation, on June 6.

Hours after the court made that decision, Attorney General Faris Al Rawi said the State’s lawyers are confident ,”the constitutional basis for the property tax legislation is sound in law and will stand up to judicial scrutiny.” Persad-Bissessar claimed the Finance Ministry’s advice to property owners, “ borders on contempt, and is a clear violation that breaches both the spirit and letter of the Court’s Order.” She reiterated the Opposition’s call to property owners not submit valuation forms. Persad-Bissessar alleged the information in those forms could give the Government, “an unfair advantage over them when the Court is yet to rule on the legality and validity of the process being utilised.” She warned that, “citizens would be helping the Government to dig their own property tax graves.

After reiterating the UNC’s claim that the Property Tax Act violates citizens’ fundamental rights, Persad- Bissessar quipped, “Mr Imbert is not immune for prosecution for contempt of court if necessary.”