KINGSTON, Jamaica — Entrepreneurs in St Mary, Portland and St Thomas will have the benefit of registering businesses and filing annual returns and other documents with the Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) next week when its business mobile unit makes stops in the respective parishes from May 26 to May 28.

The agency’s mobile operations will roll through the parish on the following dates:

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[naviga:li]May 26: St Mary at the Port Maria Civic Centre in Port Maria;[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]May 27: Christ Church (Anglican Church), 37 Harbour Street, Port Antonio, and[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]May 28: Morant Bay Anglican Church Hall, 6 South Street, Morant Bay.[/naviga:li]

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Deputy CEO and Director of Operations, Shellie Leon, in encouraging individuals to utilise the opportunity to become and remain compliant said, “Over the years, we have consistently hosted mobiles in different parishes because we understand the limitations of the business community. Even more so this year, due to COVID-19, we want persons to remain compliant so that they can make use of business opportunities should they arise. The mobile will facilitate business/company registration, filing of company’s annual returns and other documents and the closure of entities that are no longer operating under the extended COVID-19 programme.”

Individuals registering business names will need to submit their taxpayer registration number (TRN), proof of home address and a valid, government-issued ID with the filing fee of $2,500.

“On the mobile, it is about convenience. Our field officers are out engaging customers and preparing documents so that the communities are adequately sensitised. For example, companies filing annual returns will just need to come in, provide us with the name of the company and our representatives will complete the documents for them to sign, pay and that’s it,” Leon noted.

For entities that are no longer operational, they will be able to remove their entities from the COJ register under the COVID-19 Relief Initiative, the agency said. It said this initiative provides a waiver on outstanding fees.

The COJ added that individuals may visit its website (www.orcjamaica.com) for more information.