Finance Secretary Petal-ann Roberts Accuses Central Government Of Not Legislating That Property Tax Collected In Tobago Should Remain On The Island

Scarborough, Tobago – The collection of property tax began a few months ago, but is the money staying in Tobago? According to Secretary of Finance, Trade and the Economy, Petal-Ann Roberts, it’s not. Speaking on a TPP political platform in Castara last night, she criticised the central government for failing to include provisions in the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority Act.

She stated that the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Act No. 17 of 2021 does not grant the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) control over taxes collected on the island. Roberts claims this is a direct contradiction of the THA Act No. 40 of 1996, which states that all taxes paid in Tobago should remain on the island and be added to the Assembly’s treasury. This comes despite previous assurances from the central government that property tax collected would count as revenue generated in Tobago.

Additionally, Roberts pointed out that while the Board of Inland Revenue and Customs are being amalgamated into the TTRA in Trinidad, no such integration is taking place in Tobago. Roberts claimed that these concerns were raised with then Finance Minister Colm Imbert, but they were never addressed. In the meantime, she said she remains powerless as staff from the Board of Inland Revenue continue to complain about not having the necessary computers or systems in place to process tax payments and perform other tasks. Chief Secretary Farley Augustine also expressed frustration over the issue, declaring that no property taxes should be paid in Tobago until problems with land titles are resolved, thereby giving Tobagonians legal ownership of the land they have been occupying for several generations.