MANDEVILLE, Manchester – Plans for additional space at the tax office here have been delayed following concerns voiced by administrators in Kingston.

The cramped space at the tax office on South Race Course Road in Mandeville has long been a cause for concern.

In addition to the limited space inside the building, parking is an issue.

The Manchester Parish Council has been lobbying the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Finance for funds to refurbish a space at James Warehouse Plaza in close proximity to the existing building to alleviate the situation.

Acting Secretary/Manager David Harris read correspondence from the Ministry of Local Government to the regular monthly meeting that just over $2.66 million was approved from the Equalisation Fund to refurbish and renovate the proposed additional office space.

However, he told the council that subsequent to receiving that information, he received a call from Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Denzil Thorpe, suggesting that a hold be placed on the project because representatives from Tax Administration Jamaica’s (TAJ) Kingston office had “concerns” which needed to be addressed.

Harris said he was told that parking facilities and the height of the ceiling for the proposed additional space presented a difficulty for the Kingston office.

This, Harris said, caused him to question why the concern was not raised before the funds were transferred.

He said that Thorpe indicated that the council would have to take a position on the matter as the challenges with the existing space are known.

At this month’s meeting, councillors, including chairman of the council and Mayor of Mandeville Brenda Ramsay (PNP – Bellefield Division), made a unanimous vote for the work to continue as planned.

Ramsay noted that approval was given from key people within the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Finance, which ultimately had the final say in the decision and not the TAJ head office.

“So what happen? The tail is wagging the dog?” she asked.

Former mayor, Councillor (JLP – Christiana Division) Desmond Harrison, rejected the reasons given to put the project on hold.

“From all that I have heard, these are very, very poor excuses. It would (lead) me further to say because the excuses are so poor that this might be funnelled by people who might have their own agenda. In so doing, what is happening is that they are stopping progress at this point in time,” he said.

Ramsay said that while the project had been further delayed, the people of Manchester have been undergoing “dreadful” conditions in doing business at the existing tax office.

She told Observer Central that the council intends to proceed with the renovation plans and would like the additional space to be in operation by the end of the year.

Ramsay said that ideally there should be only one convenient location in Mandeville where the business of TAJ is conducted and that is in the long-term plans.

“We talk about ease of doing business and we are not making it easy for people to do business. We can’t say one thing and then we act in another way. Certainly at the council we are into solutions. We do not seek to be combative,” she said.

The Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency and the Registrar General’s Department are among the Government-operated businesses at the building at James Warehouse Plaza where the additional tax office space is slated to be located.