Kamla benefitted from no property tax

PNM supporters cheered as Rowley declared, “I own property and I will be in the forefront of paying the tax.” However, he said Persad-Bissessar and other Opposition parliamentarians who, “who took an oath to defend your interests, are out there asking you to disobey the law.” Condemning calls by Persad-Bissessar for citizens not to pay property tax and then promising to abolish it, if re-elected, Rowley quipped, “I think we have to ask her how much tax she paid on the mansion in Philippine for the last five years.”

“She led her Cabinet into giving amnesties from which she was a major beneficiary,” Rowley charged, saying if Persad-Bissessar had no desire to repeal the Property Tax Act when she had 29 seats in the House, she would not do so if re-elected. He said the Institute of Surveyors of TT, had stated in a document that property tax has been in existence in this country for the past 55 years.

Rowley added the Institute also said now was, “the most prudent time”, to implement the tax.

‘RACIAL DOG WHISTLE’ He said Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen was acting as, “A racial dog whistle”, trying to divide the population by race and geography on this issue. Rowley said the tax does not only affect property owners in United National Congress (UNC) held constituencies but, “it affects every owner of property across TT.” He said the PNM took an oath of office to uphold the law and, “the law applies to every (property) owner in TT.” Rowley was not surprised there was opposition to paying the tax. He said he has been personally lobbied by some not to implement the property tax and agreed with an observation made earlier in the meeting by Finance Minister Colm Imbert that, “too many people are getting away with paying taxes.” Dismissing property tax figures provided by the UNC, Rowley said the Surveyors’ Institute showed the calculation on certain properties in TT could result in monthly payments that in some cases could be, “less than a bottle of Carib.” Scoffing at St Augustine MP Prakash Ramadhar using his property in Florida to justify the Congress of the People’s (COP) ‘Axe The Tax’ campaign, Rowley said, “When they were in government they thought you were foolish. Now that they’re in opposition, they think you are the things with long ears.” He reminded supporters that deceased former prime minister Patrick Manning often observed that whatever the UNC says, “doesn’t have to make sense but they have to say something.” In this case, Rowley stated, “Some of what they’re saying is detrimental to the national well-being.” Rowley said 25 percent of households are classified as squatters. “The Prime Minister is not taxing anybody. It is the law that says you have to pay tax.” IT’S THE LAW “If you view yourself as an owner of property, the law applies to you.” Rowley said if squatters want to claim ownership to land they occupy, they should happily pay the tax, because it will cement their ownership.

Noting some people flip-flop on whether they own property or not, Rowley said, “You can’t be fish and fowl.” He explained that Housing Development Corporation (HDC) tenants do not pay property tax but people who take out a mortgage with the HDC are classified as property owners and must pay the tax.

Imbert disclosed that the 2011 Land and Building Taxes legislation (which lapsed under the PP) “had a provision in it that if if you don’t pay your land and building tax for one year, Government could forfeit your house.” In contrast, Imbert said the current Property Tax Act has a long procedure that spans a period of five years for property owners who are non compliant.

He explained that at the end of that procedure, the State can forfeit the property of an owner who fails to adhere to the law.

He reiterated that only 200,000 out of 400,000 households in the country are registered. “There are people with large houses who pay $100 a year in property tax because the rolls were never updated,” Imbert said. PNM supporters laughed when Imbert said he did an online search on the register of properties in Fort Lauderdale and found, “Prakash Ramadhar’s condo.” He added, “We have to start doing that in TT.”