Citizens, business owners, and operators across several sectors will face more taxes as Government moves to increase penalties through the Finance Bill, 2026.
Speaking at a news conference in Parliament, at the Red House, Port of Spain, yesterday, MP Colm Imbert said the Opposition received notice of the Finance Bill containing 31 clauses, and at least half of these clauses seek to increase fines under a number of pieces of legislation.
Imbert said some of the increases ranged from 50% to as much as 400%.
A point of contention in the new legislation centres on the increases for unspecified offences applied to minor infractions such as the Motor Launches Act, which regulates vessels such as local party boats where the general penalty for an unprescribed offence is increasing from $2,000 to $7,500.
Imbert said the 275% tax increase will penalise party boat operators a hefty $7,500 for any minor oversight or “any little offence” under the act.
“What is the basis for this? How we going from $2,000 to $7,500 and there is no prescribed penalty…?” he asked.
He said the same Government that said it would reduce fines and penalties was now bringing a Finance Bill that increases fines under the Gambling and Betting Act, the Forest Act, under the Sawmills Act, under the Conservation of Wildlife Act, under the Animal Importation Act, under the Registration of Clubs, under the Pharmacy Board, under the Pesticides Act and so on, he said.
“When I look at the increases, every increase is least 50% and one increase is 400%. So that is what we are facing in this country, and I think it was necessary for us to let the population know this is what this Government is doing. Every Monday morning, increasing fines, increasing taxes, just to punish people,” Imbert said.
The former finance minister also raised the issue of the Landlord Business Surcharge. He said repeated extensions of the registration deadline was evidence of the Government’s incompetence.
He predicted a further extension.
“We brought it up in December that the legislation made no sense. It was impractical and it was unworkable. I said then the minister would extend the time for registration of landlords, and so said, so done. He extended it from March 31 to May 30. I said again he would extend it, and so said, so done. He extended the registration date to June 30, and he will extend it again,” Imbert said.
According to Imbert, the Inland Revenue Division could face significant challenges processing applications from what he estimated to be about 100,000 landlords.
“You are talking about 100,000 landlords who have to go to Inland Revenue and register. They are no longer allowing you to drop off documents in a drop box. You have to go on an interview to make sure all your documents are in order. How on earth are they going to process 100,000 landlords?” he asked.
Imbert argued that making landlords’ information publicly accessible would have posed privacy and security risks.
“We told them that it would be an invasion of privacy to have a public register where people can go and see who the landlords in this country are and who they are renting to. It would also expose people to kidnapping and other various forms of crime.
“Every single bill they bring to Parliament is sub-standard and mediocre. We talk to them and then months later, they come back and fix the rubbish,” he said.
