Companies, self-employed persons, partnerships, provident societies and other organizations have only a few days to meet the March 15 Income Tax deadline and the Tax Administration Directorate has made it easier to comply. A number of programmes have been introduced by the tax authorities to make submitting returns and paying taxes easier.
Tax Offices all over the island will be open later to facilitate payments
Where can I easily get Tax forms?
Taxpayers have the convenience of downloading Income Tax Forms from the website www.jamaicatax.gov.jm. These forms may be completed electronically and then printed and signed for filing. Or persons may visit any of the 29 Tax Offices island wide to get the relevant forms.
Are there any Special Programmes to assist Small Business Operators to prepare their Income tax Returns?
Yes. The Tax Administration began operating its annual Special Taxpayer Service Programme on January 15. The programme is aimed at assisting small business operators, professionals and self-employed persons to complete and file their income tax returns, to meet the March 15 deadline.
The eight-week programme, has over two hundred (200) free sessions scheduled right across the island at off-site locations – such as – town halls, school auditoriums, church halls, courthouses, and throughout the network of 29 Tax Offices. In the Corporate area for example, special “service sites” will be set up the St. Andrew, Cross Roads and King Street Tax Offices at scheduled times during the week March 8 – 12. Details of the locations and times scheduled island wide are available by contacting the Tax Administration Customer Care Centre at 1-888-TAX-HELP or the local Tax Office or visiting the website www.jamaicatax.gov.jm.
Taxpayers wishing to utilize the free service should take along their business documents such as Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN), bank statements, invoices, receipts, sales records and any other records used in their business operations.
Is there a number that Persons can call to get Tax Advice?
Yes. Persons needing tax advice may call the Tax Administration Customer Care Centre at 1-888-TAX-HELP (1-888-829-4357) or email queries to taxhelp@tasd.gov.jm. Agents are available to assist persons to understand their rights and responsibilities and to guide them through the Income Tax filing process. The service operates from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday to Thursday and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
Are there alternative filing and payment options?
The Tax Administration has electronic “drop boxes” available at six (6) of the busiest locations. Therefore persons paying by cheque or simply filing a return may use the electronic drop box facility at any of the following tax offices:
King Street
Constant Spring
Cross Roads
Spanish Town
Mandeville
Montego Bay
Persons should also remember that the Portmore Tax Office opens on a Saturday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. They may use this location if they unable to transact business during the week at their regular tax office.
Additionally, the Tax Administration is working with FISCAL Services Ltd to finalise plans to introduce electronic filing of income tax returns by the March 15 due date. This will allow self-employed persons and companies to file and pay income tax from the convenience of their home or office, 24hrs daily via the “Virtual” Tax Office at www.jamaicatax-online.gov.jm, once they are duly registered to use the online filing option.
Will the Tax Offices be opening later?
To meet the demands of the taxpaying public, fourteen (14) of the busiest tax offices will open one hour later on the due date, Monday, March 15. The tax offices which will remain open to the public until 5:00 pm are:
1. Kingston
Constant Spring
Cross Roads
Mandeville
May Pen
Spanish Town
Portmore
Montego Bay
Savanna-La-Mar
Morant Bay
Brown’s Town
St. Ann’s Bay
Falmouth
Lucea
All other Tax Offices will operate their regular schedule.
With the various programmes in place to assist taxpayers, thereby making it easier to pay, taxpayers are urged to submit their final return for 2009 and estimated return for 2010, as well as make payments to meet the March 15 Income Tax deadline.
Jamaican officials are confident that with new seismic data showing very positive prospects, the country could, in the long term, become one of the region’s top oil producers. Jamaica formally offered nineteen offshore and four onshore blocks for licensing for oil and gas exploration, at the launch of the Second Round bid, on March 1st 2010, in London.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Energy and Mining, Hon. Laurence Broderick, who spoke at the launch, held at the Geological Society, emphasized that low energy cost is key to the country’s industrial development, so the programme to develop and expand renewable energy sources would continue at full speed.
The State Minister also participated in a seminar, under the theme: ‘New Prospects and New Opportunities’, which was put on by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica and Jamaica Trade and Invest.
The seminar was held to support the island’s second formal licensing round for oil and gas exploration.
Consultant to the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), Dr. Raymond Wright, said while the data for oil and gas exploration in Jamaica was positive, any benefits would come in the long term.
“We are talking about anything that could happen in 2015 and beyond. It’s not next year, so we are really planning for the long term future,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Broderick said that while renewable energy supplies would not account for more than 20 per cent of the country’s overall energy needs, there is an on-going programme to develop them.
“We have a couple of wind farms and we are seeking to establish more. With solar, we have not moved as fast because of the cost, but there are a number of companies that have expressed an interest and the pilot projects in hospitals are going well,” he pointed out.
Logos Hope is operated by Operation Mobilisation which is an Evangelical Christian organization founded by George Verwer. The OM ships visit port cities throughout the world, supplying literature, encouraging cross-cultural understanding, training young people for ‘more effective life and service’, providing relief and sharing a message of hope in God wherever there is opportunity.
The Logos Hope has been in Montego bay since January 20th and will travel to Kingston where it will be docked at the Caribbean Cement Company at Rockfort from February 17th – March 23rd 2010.
Jamaicans are invited to visit the ship to purchase books that cover a wide range of subjects, such as science, sports, hobbies, cookery, the arts, philosophy, medicine and children’s books, as well as faith and life. The books have been carefully chosen to be of interest to every member of the family, and with the educational, social and moral needs of the local community in mind. Books are on offer at a fraction of their retail value, while in certain ports, books are also donated.
The annual Misty Bliss festival celebrates the national and cultural heritage of communities within the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park (BJCMNP). The event is very important for the encouragement and promotion of cultural and natural heritage tourism, ecotourism and community tourism in Jamaica.
Misty Bliss is a traditional, Jamaican cultural festival that celebrates mountain pleasures and treasures. Patrons will experience the cool, mist forest of the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, Maroon culture and cuisine while children can engage in Ring Games and environmental education seminars. This event is scheduled to be held on Sunday, 2010 February 28.
Fi Wi Sinting the largest African History Month event in Jamaica will be celebrating its 20th anniversary on Sunday February 14, 2010 from 10A.M – 8 P.M. The venue, Somerset Falls in Hope Bay, Portland, world known for its lush vegetation, exotic flora, tranquility, ambiance and cascading waterfalls is the ideal setting for this family event. Admission J$500 Children $200.
With the venue transformed into a huge Market Place, representative of Jamaican/African culture featuring exquisite garments, books, jewelry and craft, as with any market it is abuzz with activities throughout the day.
Dine on traditional food such as dookunu brought from Ghana with the same name, puddings, fried fish and bammy or vegetarian from raw to ital. You are invited to dance to the rhythms of the Kumina drums brought to our shores from the Congo, the Mento band our own indigenous folk music, let loose at the African Dance Party hosted by Mutabaruka with his vast repertoire of rhythms from the continent, participate in Nyabinghi chanting with Rastafarians or join the children as they playfully follow closely behind the Jonkunoo band with its main character Pitchy Patchy which traveled with us from West Africa.
The spoken word is expressed through ourstories of that cunning spider Ananse also from West Africa as told by Story teller extraordinaire Amina Blackwood-Meeks along with resident Poets Royal African Soldiers and their friends and in an Open Mike segment where participants are free to express themselves. Each year there is a Main Attraction and at sunset patrons are invited to gather, where homage is paid to the ancestors and offerings are placed on the Ancestral Raft before it is sent floating into the Caribbean Sea.
For more information visit the official Fi Wi Sinting website at fiwisinting.com
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged Wednesday to continue China’s support to Jamaica’s economic development, saying the two sides should expand cooperation in infrastructure construction, mining and tourism. Wen made the remarks when meeting with his Jamaican counterpart Bruce Golding.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
“As the international financial crisis has posed severe impact on China and the Caribbean states, we should help each other, enhance cooperation, and jointly cope with challenges so as to consistently boost our friendly ties,” Wen said.
China’s trade with Jamaica slipped by some 30 percent to 219 million U.S. dollars last year. However, China’s imports from Jamaica nearly tripled year on year, according to Chinese custom figures.
Golding hailed Jamaica-China exchanges and cooperation in politics, economy and humanitarian fields. He pledged to stick to the one-China policy and voiced hope to expand trade and economic ties, as well as consultation on international affairs, with China.
Golding appreciated China’s responsible attitude in tackling climate change and pledged to further cooperation with China. Golding arrived in Beijing Monday. During his five-day trip, Golding is also expected to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Vice President Xi Jinping.
Earthquake Awareness Week will be recognized during the week of January 9-15, 2010. The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is planing various activities and workshops to mark the Week, which is aimed at increasing the general awareness of the Jamaican public to the importance of preparing for an earthquake. The them for this year is ”Learn, Plan, Prepare…the next big quake could be near!’
Overview of of some of the activities planed
National and regional church services to make the start of Earthquake Awareness Week
Earthquake Awareness supplements in Major local newspaper
Earthquake awareness days and schools and places of business
Tsunami Workshop for tourism sector
Jamaica’s location along the northern margin of the Caribbean Plate and the presence of very active faults on the island makes it very vulnerable to earthquakes. For more information visit the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management website at ODPEM.org.jm.
Bolt retained his World Athlete of the Year award from 2008 winning the award again for the second successive year. His double record breaking performances in the 100m and 200m finals at the World Championships in Berlin, matching his 100-200 double from the 2008 Beijing Olympics was more than enough to land him the prestigious award.
Usain Bolt and Sanya Richards after receiving their awards
Jamaican born Sanya Richards of the United States was the winner of the female World Athlete of the Year award for 2009 for her continued domination of the 400m race to win at all six Golden League meetings in Europe to claim a share of the $1 million jackpot.
Difficult year for Bolt after Car crash
“It’s been an amazing year for me,” said Bolt, whose training was hampered after he injured his foot when he crashed his car in April. “I had to refocus my goals and put in a lot of hard work. I did extremely well and I’m proud of myself.”
HELP Jamaica is a charity organization serving Jamaica that is based in Germany. It’s main goals according to it’s website is to raise funds in order to support and establish library- and education projects in Jamaica, they aim to build libraries and education projects in deprived Jamaican communities and aspire to provide free education – especially for children and youths who otherwise don’t have access to books and computers and do not have the means to provide adequately for their education.
HELP Jamaica which stands for Help Establish Library Projects in Jamaica has created a limited quantity 2010 calendar which will be sold for a small fee with the proceeds going to the projects the organization supports.
Calendar Description
Put Jamaica in sight! Be reminded on the beautiful island everyday by some exceptional photos displaying the many facets of Jamaica. Great shots from eight parishes – different countryside, Kingston, charismatic people, promising school kids, fishermen, churches and more photos from international photographers.
To get your copy of the calendar and support a worthy cause visit Help Jamaica’s Charity shop and order yours while stocks last.
Various internet usage, broadband, information technology and telecommunications reports all show that Jamaica is enjoying a boom in internet growth. Competition between internet service providers, the recent introduction of fibre optic technology and a saturated cellular phone market has continued to stimulate the market.
