Kamla: Govt trying to hoodwink citizens

“We see it as an attempt by Government to deceive, trick and hoodwink citizens into sharing personal information with Government in circumstances where they feel they have no choice but to comply with demands or else they could face criminal prosecution,” she said yesterday at a media conference at the Office of the Opposition Leader, Port of Spain. Yesterday in the San Fernando High Court, Justice Seepersad presided in a matter of the Opposition challenging the property tax implementation with Devant Maharaj as claimant against the Commissioner of Valuations and Attorney General. Persad-Bissessar reported that Seepersad had granted a wider order than a previous stay which blocked the Commissioner of Valuations and those under him from receiving from the public any schedule II return/valuation form or from issuing to property owners any such form. The order is until June 27. Persad-Bissessar said there are certain areas Government was taking advantage of by saying people could voluntarily file and therefore the commissioner’s office could receive the documents. She pointed out that Finance Minister Colm Imbert had taken the position that the previous stay granted by the court left it open for Government to receive the forms and supporting documents such as land survey plan, photographs of the exterior of the property and building plans.

She said he also claimed citizens are “Happy” to pay property tax and were, “Lining up in droves, punishing themselves in the hot sun”, to do so. “What is very clear from the judgment now is that there can be no hiding behind a fig leaf that citizens can voluntarily take in forms. We took the position that this should not be done and Government should not play smart with foolishness by saying it is a ‘voluntary exercise’,” she said. She said that if any forms are received they would be in contempt of court. Asked about forms and documents previously submitted Persad-Bissessar said the Government is not able to proceed with any such information or they would be in clear breach.

She advised that the documents be either returned or scrapped as they have no force in law and should not be used in any way