Tax amnesty brings in $1.8B: Dookeran

Winston Dookeran told Parliament Wednesday the tax amnesty declared in September last year has helped the government collect $1.8 billion in arrears.

The finance minister made the disclosure in the House of Representatives during his presentation of legislation to increase Government’s $49 billion 2011 budget by $2.7 billion.

Dookeran said the government needs the extra funds for urgent and critical capital recurrent expenditure. 

The total figure includes money for various Government departments and ministries from a low of $2,900 for Service Commissions to a high of $455 million for the Ministry of the People and Social Development. 

Some other allocations are:

• The Police Service - $69 million. 
• Social development as well as Works - $327 million
• Finance - $378 million
• Health - $280 million
• Public Utilities - $201 million 
• New Industrial agreements - $643 million 
• Housing construction and infrastructural work - $150

The Parliament received $1 billion for relocation to an interim Waterfront location and for renovation.

The minister also informed the House that due to the long queues to make tax payments, he spoke with the Board of Inland Revenue’s chairman on Tuesday and they agreed to extend the amnesty to the end of June.