KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Local Government and Community Development Minister, Desmond McKenzie, says an announcement will be made shortly regarding funding for the maintenance of parochial roads across the island.

He informed that since early this year, he has been having discussions with Minister of Finance and Public Service, Audley Shaw, regarding the establishment of a dedicated source of funds to deal with these thoroughfares.

“I am pleased to announce that in short order, myself and the Minister (Shaw) will be making a special announcement as to how we are going to respond to parochial roads across the country,” he said.

McKenzie was delivering the keynote address at a special appreciation luncheon for the all-island property tax team at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay, St James on Friday.

Meanwhile, McKenzie said representatives of his ministry will shortly be engaged in discussions with Tax Administration of Jamaica (TAJ) with a view towards collecting outstanding trade license fees.

He pointed out that these fees represent the second largest source of income for the local authorities.

“If we are able to collect 40 per cent of the trade licenses across this country, combined with the level of compliance with property taxes, we would be able to cover sufficiently, the obligations of the local authorities,” McKenzie contended.

“The trade licenses must be collected. The same way we are going after those who have outstanding property taxes…we are going to ensure that we do a similar thing for those who owe trade licenses,” he noted further.

McKenzie commended the property tax compliance team, noting that their efforts assisted in the collection of over $7 billion in outstanding fees.

He is urging Jamaicans to pay their property taxes, noting that it is their contribution to the orderly and sustained development of the country.

The all-island property tax team, comprised of representatives of the ministry and the TAJ, was mobilised to collect outstanding taxes.