Lands Minister Says Land Amnesty Bill Has a Mistake

Hugo Patt

One more item from the House…a motion to extend the land amnesty tax programme was tabled today.  The Partial Remission of Land Tax Arrears Programme which was originally scheduled to last six months raised eyebrows and now the government’s move to extend the programme has raised further questions. Landowners, who owe land taxes, will be able to settle or manage arrears for six months.  In late October, a statutory instrument signed by Minister of Natural Resources Hugo Patt was gazette; it extended the programme to June first instead of April seventh, granting wealthy landowners an additional month and three weeks.  This morning, Opposition Leader John Briceño asked Lands Minister why there was the need to extend the deadline into the new fiscal year. The bill, however, has the deadline as April, beyond the new fiscal year. When the Opposition Leader John Briceño asked Minister Patt about it, he admitted there was a mistake. 

Hugo Patt, Minister of Natural Resources

“The actual programme started in October so that we are asking for an extension to meet the sixth month period that was originally scheduled. So we are looking at the start of November and we are targeting the end of the fiscal year.”

John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition

“But this is saying six months.”

Hugo Patt

“Six months: October, November December, January, February and March.”

John Briceño

“This is saying commencing the first of December so this will go all in the way of May of next year.”

Hugo Patt

“No, we have just moved, actually that would have been a typo mistake. It’s effective the first of October to end in the fiscal year of March.”

John Briceño

“So April will not be included?”

Hugo Patt

“Not be included.”

John Briceño

“It is a massive typo, typing error that they made.”

Hugo Patt

“It will end in the fiscal year of March.”