KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) says that based on preliminary figures, it has surpassed its collections target for the first quarter of the 2018/19 fiscal year.

In a press release yesterday, the revenue authority said that for the period April – June 2018, it collected $79.9 billion which is 9.2 per cent over the $73.2 billion target.

This performance, it said, continues the positive trend recorded over the last four years, with things being on track to exceed the $320 billion annual target.

TAJ explained that the outcome is as a result of the continuation of focused compliance strategies which began last financial year, and resulted in it surpassing its annual target for 2017/18.

Compliance efforts included closer monitoring of arrears, which it said was facilitated through the Revenue Administration Information System (RAiS) and the mandating of all GCT taxpayers to file their returns online.

“The authority’s service, education and stakeholder engagement focus continued as taxpayer education teams, technical specialists, client relationship managers and customer care agents interfaced with taxpayers to educate and inform them of their rights and obligations as well as provide tax information and assistance,” the TAJ outlined in the release.

It added that seminars, workshops, sensitisation sessions and speaking engagements were some of the strategies employed.

“Further, in an effort to assist GCT taxpayers to meet their mandated eFiling requirement, personalised eOne-on-One and eOn-Spot sessions were conducted. Additionally, more information was made available through traditional media and on social media.”

In the meantime, the revenue authority said it will continue to utilise all the avenues available to encourage and foster voluntary compliance through moral suasion.

“Notwithstanding, tax evaders will be aggressively pursued through intelligence and enforcement actions and brought to book,” it warned.