Despite articles in the T&T Guardian and the desire of the Board of Inland Revenue and the Government of T&T to enhance their Tax Revenue Department, we are upon the deadline for Tax Returns of April 30 and citizens are unable to collect the necessary Tax Return Forms for their submissions.
This has been going on for the last three years. While telephone numbers for BIR at their new location have been published, it is next to impossible to reach anyone.
Yesterday on visiting BIR, tax return forms were only available for employed individuals, one form per person, and none for self-employed individuals or companies or partnerships.
Apparently, people should receive company forms via mail but once again, we are in April and the forms are yet to arrive by mail and from experience, they have for the past years been arriving long after the tax deadline.
Surely it is not a big science to change the date and have all forms available from January of each year or on the web site for download and printing by those who wish same.
Also, while one may say that e-tax is available for individuals, elderly persons or persons without computers cannot do e-tax. And whether e-tax or hard copy, doesn’t the Government want citizens to file their returns?
Please BIR, get your act together. You want people to pay tax but you are frustrating them. No one in your office can even advise the status of the forms. Not all of us like to do our business last minute!
Wendy Nock
