KINGSTON: The Administration Jamaica (TAJ) described as “delinquent taxpayers”, were recently arrested in separate operations conducted by the Special Enforcement Team of the TAJ and the St Thomas police, for outstanding taxes amounting to $28 million.
The arrests were made on warrants of disobedience after Jeremiah Walker, principal director of St Thomas Cable Network Limited, failed to appear in court on a summons served by the tax authority, and Kirk Chin, principal director of Bewelk Equipment and Construction Ltd, failed to show for his mention date.
“Both delinquent taxpayers were taken into custody having failed to make their respective court dates to answer to a matter of outstanding GCT, PAYE, income, and education taxes amounting to over $28 million,” the release read.
According to TAJ, Walker was arrested in December 2014 for outstanding taxes totalling $10.5 million.
TAJ Director of Communications Meris Haughton told OBSERVER ONLINE Thursday that when Walker appeared in court, a judgement order for him to pay the outstanding amount over a specified period was handed down, while, Chin – who TAJ said owes the State $17.5 million in outstanding taxes – was arrested in January. He was granted bail in the sum of $500,000 and is due to return to the Yallahs Resident Magistrate’s Court on January 30.
The TAJ said it is continuing its efforts to ramp up its compliance activities, urging taxpayers to attend court, once they have been served a summons.
The agency said failure to do this will result in action being taken to enforce any order handed down by the courts.
“In the coming weeks, TAJ will continue to enforce warrants of disobedience, bench warrants and warrants of commitment for arrest, as well as executing warrants of distress to seize assets, to recover outstanding taxes,” the release continued. “More arrests will be made shortly, as TAJ continues its drive to plug revenue leaks, as part of its enhanced compliance strategies.”
