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Inland Revenue Department Launches Web Site

Contact: Rose Marie Harris

Inland Revenue Department launched its internet web site as the next “logical step” in its outreach programme

Monday, March 18, 2002 - Tax payers now have yet another avenue for seeking information and making queries on income tax matters. On Monday March 18, 2002, the Inland Revenue Department launched its internet web site as the next “logical step” in its outreach programme to provide an additional dimension in the relationship that already exists between the department and the public.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Dr. Bernard La Corbiniere, in outlining the fundamental changes taking place within the Inland Revenue Department, emphasised that the new move by the Department is one way of achieving productivity, improving efficiency and delivering a better service to customers and tax payers. “The site has information for tax practitioners pertaining to trade and information on the different categories of tax. In addition, press releases from time to time will keep both practitioners and tax payers informed of government’s policy and of events,” he added.

The site also boasts a Frequently Asked Questions section for the clarification of common problems which, according to La Corbiniere, should reduce the need to visit the department or to make contact by phone, leading to improved efficiency in some of the Inland Revenue Department’s processes.

According to Dr. La Corbiniere there has been a continuous effort to train staff extensively in all aspects of taxation and tax administration as well as customer relations. In addition, he says, appropriate data bases and proper record keeping have been established, a comprehensive tax administration system was adopted some years ago, and the tax system has been simplified while education and filing and information for annual returns have been improved. “All these have been small but important advances in the development of a sound tax administration,” the Permanent Secretary noted.

(l to r) Dr. Bernard La Corbiniere, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Trevor Brathwaite, Comptroller of Inland Revenue

Comptroller of Inland Revenue Trevor Brathwaite described the new web site as one of the best tools which can be used to inform tax payers and other interested persons around the world on the many changes taking place in his department. The next step, he said, is the completion of an in-house exercise on reforming the PAYE (pay as you earn) system which will involve the use of the internet in coordinating the remittances from business establishments.

Another “exciting” initiative, the Comptroller revealed, is the opportunity to offer some of the department’s services through the use of Internet kiosks. “And I think we will be able to do that throughout the country by offering persons (the opportunity) to walk up to kiosks to interface with us at any point, at any place in the system right around Saint Lucia,” the Comptroller explained.

The address for the new website is www.irdstlucia.gov.lc.

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