St Kitts Urged To Revoke Licences From Tax Delinquent Professionals

by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London

02 January 2008

The St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce is recommending that the government focus on delinquent professionals who refuse to submit their returns to the Inland Revenue Department and revoke their business licences until outstanding taxes are paid.

In a news release detailing its official response to the 2008 Budget Address delivered last week by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Denzil L. Douglas, the Chamber said it was pleased to learn that “no new taxes will be introduced in the next fiscal year” and hopes that the rate of existing taxes will not be increased.

The Chamber said it hopes the government will continue to improve tax collection in order to increase revenue and recommended a widening of the tax base so that individuals and entities who should pay taxes do so, as the law requires.

The Chamber also recommended that government focus on delinquent professionals who refuse to submit their returns to the Inland Revenue Department.

“Such delinquencies should result in the revocation of business licences until outstanding taxes are paid,” the Chamber urged.

It also called on the government to design a programme to deal with distressed and abandoned properties in the Federation as the government is being deprived of well-needed taxes from such properties, while the values of neighbouring properties are unfairly suppressed because of their proximity to distressed and abandoned properties.

“A workable solution to this problem should include a facility whereby citizens can be encouraged to purchase such properties, repair or renovate them, and then bring them back on stream as taxable real estate,” the Chamber recommended.

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