Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein and Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchemedial are both concerned that government intends to go ahead with the property tax, when the 2020/2021 budget is read in parliament on Monday.
In a joint Facebook post on Sunday, they said that despite calls from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar for Government to hold its hand on implementing the tax, it seems Government will do so when Finance Minister Colm Imbert makes his presenation.
Hosein reiterated the UNC’s view that the implementation of the tax at this time would be “unwise and harsh.”
He said the consequences of not paying property tax would be severe. According to Hosein, “Government has the power to levy on your personal belongings to recover property tax. That means they can seize your appliances and your furniture to recover that tax.” He also claimed, “They (Government) can sell your property to collect their property tax.” Hosein explained that residential properties; commercial properties; agricultural properties; industrial properties (with plant and machinery in a building); and industrial properties (with plant and machinery not housed in a building) attract taxes of three, five, one, six, and three per cent of the annual rental value of the property, respectively.
Hosein said property taxes can only be collected with the Commissioner of Valuations advises Imbert that 50 per cent of the lands in TT have been valued. He added there are questions as to what determines the criteria to indicate that this target has been achieved. Hosein explained that by law, the owner of a property is obligated to pay property tax. Lutchemedial said Housing Development Corporation (HDC) homeowners will be expected to pay property tax. .
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