New law coming to improve tax collection

A new Tax Administration Law will have its first reading in Parliament July this year, to make the computerisation of the property tax system lawful.
The move is the latest step in the government’s plan to improve tax collection.
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) is hoping that stronger collaboration between several departments will improve property tax collection.
Based on reports from the Cabinet notes distributed by Government’s Chief of Staff Lionel Max Hurst, two representatives of the department presented at this week’s Cabinet meeting. 
They estimated that about EC $19 million is owed to government by the top 100 properties.
The IRD is hoping that linking the Land Folio, Survey Mapping, Land Registry, Property Valuation and Property Tax in a single, integrated system will enable the annual property tax to be determined and communicated to property owners. 
Tax accounts will also be created for all parcels of land throughout Antigua. 
The new system will record when payments are made to the IRD; and, it will also show when payments are not made within a timeframe permitted under the law. 
A new bill to govern the proposal will have its first reading in Parliament before the end of July 2018.