No property bills for now: Finance Minister

The government of Trinidad and Tobago is putting the hated property tax on hold.

Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira confirmed Monday that the government will not issue any tax bill until it settles the issue of all those who qualify for deferment of the payment of the tax.

She said property owners would not have to pay any tax - including the old tax - until until they receive bills.

The new tax took effect in January after heated debates both inside and outside Parliament, with the government standing firm on its position that the tax was a major improvement over the previous one and that it would be fairer to property owners.

But the government unexpectedly put the matter was put on hold along with debate on the proposed Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority (TTRA) the day after Prime Minister Patrick Manning announced that he might be holding a general election soon.

Speaking with the Trinidad Express Monday, the finance minister explained that certain policy issues need to be addressed before the implementation of the tax.

One of them, she explained, is the role of the Rent Assessment Board. She said the board would have to deal with the question of unscrupulous landlords who may wish to take advantage of tax increases to make unreasonable increases in rent. She said it is important to harmonize the roles of the board and her ministry.

On the question of deferment, Nunez-Tesheira told the paper the old act did not have a provision for exemption due to economic hardship.

The minister said she is looking at the classification of persons who would benefit from the hardship exemption.

She said her ministry is working with the Ministry of Social Development on issuing exemption certificates.

Commenting on the minister's statements, Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh called it an election ploy.

"Do not fall for this election gimmickry," Gopeesingh warned. "As soon as the elections are over - and in the rare chance the PNM's returned to government - this tax will be implemented at higher rates than now proposed."