Businessman Cecil Knowles in Court for Outstanding Income Tax Arrears

Cecil Knowles

In the Magistrate’s court today, the case of the Commissioner of Income Tax versus businessman Cecil Knowles was heard. Knowles, a Belize City resident, owes the Income Tax Department seventeen thousand six hundred and forty-three dollars in unpaid taxes over an eleven year period between 2001 and 2012. When he appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano, Knowles was read a charge of Recovery of Income Tax arrears.   Magistrate Cayetano asked Knowles if he had an issue with the amount in arrears the Income Tax Department is claiming, but Knowles responded that he had issue meeting the payment. He said there is no way he can make the payment in one lump sum and proposed monthly installments. Income Tax Prosecutor, Delroy Moore, indicated that the Commissioner of Income Tax had negotiated with Knowles in the past and that several arrangements had been made, but were not met so the Commissioner is not entering into further arrangements. But Moore sought a one week adjournment for legal advice. The adjournment was granted for Wednesday, December seventeenth 2014, and the magistrate advised Knowles to meet with the Income Tax Department to work things out. The unpaid taxes relate to employees and personal income tax.