Taxpayers are being advised that the final payment date for the Municipal Solid Waste Tax (MSWT) without penalty has been further extended to December 31, 2014 and that they may pay in instalments for convenience.
The public should also note that a 100 per cent remittance has been granted to the following:
??? Pensioners who own properties with improved values of $190,000 or less.
??? Entities which fall under the International and Regional Agreements.
The public should also note that a 50 per cent remittance will be granted to the following:
??? Owners of land being used for agricultural purposes that has been verified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management.
Additionally, the Revenue Commissioner of the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA), Margaret Sivers, is assuring the public that persons who are entitled to remittances and have already paid monies to the BRA for the MSWT, will receive refunds for those payments.
???We keep account of who has paid and therefore are preparing a list of those persons who fall into the specified categories. We will be assiduously preparing cheques and then informing those persons when they can pick up those refunds,??? she explained.
She also stated that the payment period was extended to make it easier on taxpayers who would be required to pay the tax but stressed that penalties and interest will be applied to outstanding payments after the new due date.
???Failure to pay the tax by December 31, 2014, will result in a penalty of 5 per cent of the tax demanded and unpaid. In addition to the penalty imposed, interest at the rate of one per cent for each month on the penalty and the unpaid tax at the prescribed time will be charged,??? she reminded.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs has also advised that the appropriate amendments to the Municipal Solid Waste Tax Act will be made where applicable, to facilitate the changes announced.
The BRA reminds all other tax payers not directly affected by these changes that where genuine cases of hardship exist, they are still free to avail themselves of the provisions of Section 5 of the Act to seek relief on a case by case basis.
The Revenue Commissioner added that the calculated rate of the tax has not changed and remains at 0.3 per cent of the site value of all properties with an improved value, whether for residential or commercial use.
Persons may still pay their MSWT at the following BRA locations: Weymouth Corporate Centre, Roebuck Street, St. Michael; the Treasury Building, Bridge Street, Bridgetown; Warrens Tower II, Warrens, St. Michael; Southern Plaza, Oistins, Christ Church and Holetown Complex, St. James.
The cashier posts at the Treasury Building will be open Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., while the other locations will be open from 8:15 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Persons may also drop their cheques in the boxes that are provided at each payment location or pay online via the eZpay service on www.gov.bb.
erica.lazare@barbados.gov.bb