TAJ to provide services at Ja Diaspora Conference

Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) will be providing a number of fast-track services to overseas nationals at the upcoming 6th Biennial Diaspora Conference.

The event, scheduled for June 13 to 18 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, is expected to attract close to 2,000 participants.

Communications officer at the TAJ, Leighton Beckles, told the Government's news agency, the JIS, that this would be the third occasion that the TAJ would be participating in the Diaspora Conference as a means of strengthening the services provided to overseas Jamaicans.

He said that property-tax services would be available at the conference.

"Participants ... will be able to come in and get a printout of their seven-year status on their property taxes. They'll also be given special assistance to pay their property taxes online, as well as to query their property taxes," he said.

He noted that persons could also apply for their taxpayer registration number (TRN) as well as access stamp-duty and transfer-tax services.

Beckles said that applications for a TRN must be submitted along with a notarised copy of the identification, including full name, date of birth, photograph, signature and expiry date.

Information on the full list of services to be made available at the Diaspora Conference and the specific requirements are available on the TAJ's website.

PRESENTATION

On the fifth day of the conference, June 17, a senior legal officer at the TAJ will make a presentation on the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), the obligations of the financial sector, and how it will impact members of the Jamaican diaspora.

Beckles said the legal officer, along with other technical personnel, would be available to answer any questions from conference participants.

He said the TAJ continues to improve its service delivery to members of the Jamaican diaspora. The entity's website has been remodelled to make doing business easier and more interactive, and individuals are now able to access more services online.

"It's a part of the TAJ's overall strategy to improve our service to become much more customer-centric and friendly to the diaspora," he noted.

Members of the diaspora may contact the TAJ for assistance via email at taxhelp@taj.gov.jm or by calling 1-888-gojamaicatax or via its various social-media platforms.