A company owned by People’s National Party (PNP) Trelawny Northern candidate John-Paul White now owes the Government approximately $14 million in taxes, arrears he reportedly promised he’d pay up before the general election to be held February 25.

According to documents obtained by the Jamaica Observer, White’s civil engineering company, Equilibrio Solutions Jamaica Limited, had owed $17 million in taxes.

The Observer learnt that White yesterday paid $3 million of the sum, leaving the approximately $14 million.

Repeated attempts yesterday to get a comment from White were unsuccessful. However, his public relations manager, Londie Murray, told the newspaper that White obtained his tax compliance certificate, having made a payment on the debt. Murray, however, declined to say how much White had paid.

Murray, who answered White’s phone, said the parliamentary hopeful was unable to talk as he was participating in a walk-through of the constituency for which he is the PNP’s standard-bearer.

A Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) demand notice — dated January 28, and served on White’s company — shows that the entity had not paid the $17 million plus in taxes to the Government of Jamaica. The TAJ notice says the tax debt is to be paid immediately, and that interest and penalties will accrue until returns are filed and payments are made.

A payment order was also served on White in relation to GCT and PAYE taxes.

News of the hefty tax debt flies in the face of Government’s drive to collect taxes and could prove to be a public relations nightmare for the ruling PNP as it seeks a second term in office.

It also doesn’t bode well for White, who has been facing opposition from some PNP supporters who, over the past few weeks, have been publicly voicing their disapproval of his selection to be the standard-bearer in the constituency.

White, who was introduced as the candidate for Trelawny Northern by the PNP at a mass rally in Half-Way-Tree last Sunday, replaces one-term Member of Parliament Patrick Atkinson.

The PNP had reportedly considered Damion Crawford, who represents St Andrew East Rural, as the candidate to contest Trelawny Northern but gave White the nod.

Yesterday, political analyst Richard ‘Dickie’ Crawford said that a party ought not to put forward a candidate who has tax debts.

“If you owe outstanding taxes you can’t do business with government or get contract from a government. If you owe taxes, a party shouldn’t put you up as a candidate. You are not supposed to be a debtor or owe taxes and have an outstanding case in court if you are seeking office. That shouldn’t be allowed,” Crawford said.

“That is going to obviously hurt his chances. It could be explored on the campaign and be injurious to the candidate,” Crawford added.