Imbert: More tax staff being hired

Include lands used for rental accommodation, units subject to licence to occupy, rent to own apartments and land used as village plazas. While the HDC is “prima facie liable to pay property tax, Mitchell added, “The renters in the HDC are not home owners and are not liable to pay property tax.” Responding to a question in the House of Representatives, Imbert said the recruitment and selection of these officers has been completed. “Given the high volume of property owners visiting the existing valuation offices, arrangements were made for additional facilities and administrative personnel to assist with the collection of valuation return forms,” Imbert indicated.

The minister said property owners were given the option of using a number of drop boxes rather than waiting in line to submit their forms.

In addition, Imbert said the ministry is currently in the process of outfitting an office in Barataria which was leased for the Port-of-Spain office of the Valuation Division. “This arrangement will also facilitate the necessary accommodation required for the increased number of personnel within the Valuation Division,”he said.

Oropouce East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal asked if the Valuation Division was continuing to collect forms from property owners “in defiance” of a May 19 ruling by Justice Frank Seepersad.

Imbert replied, “The matter is sub-judice.” The State’s appeal of that ruling will be heard by the Court of Appeal on June 6. On Tuesday, Imbert said he was advised by legal counsel that, “no injunction or other order has been granted restraining property owners from submitting valuation return forms on a voluntary basis.” Earlier in the sitting, Mitchell said Section 16 of the Property Tax Act allows the finance minister to wholly or partially exempt certain classes of land from taxation.

These include land belonging to and in occupation of the State and its servants, a statutory authority or a state enterprise controlled by the State for public purposes. “Only homeowners, the owners of property are liable to pay property tax,” he explained.