AG: Revenue Authority Bill makes UNC jumpy

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi responded to concerns from opposition senator Wade Mark over the Revenue Authority Bill, saying the provisions of the bill would allow for a more aggressive approach to fighting financial crimes.

Al-Rawi was contributing to the debate in Parliament on Tuesday. He asserted that the bill could go a long way towards securing arrests and convictions for white-collar crimes while ensuring a more transparent approach to monitoring the gaming industry.

He said while reductions in violent crime were important, it was also important to address financial crimes, and accused the opposition of not supporting efforts to tackle such issues because they may also be investigated.

“Any time you talk about foreign tax accounts, local tax accounts, amendments to the Board of Inland Revenue, income tax legislation, the United National Congress (UNC) goes into an apoplectic fit of panic, scandal and delay. In those instances, we note where people get jumpy.

“This bill adds a very important measure to the Proceeds of Crime Act.

“Tax evasion allows a specified offence to be triggered and therefore...a more efficient mechanism to look at inland revenue means you are giving crime-fighting a chance.

“How many cases do we see for tax evasion in the courts of TT?”

Responding to concerns of possible political inference raised by Mark, Al-Rawi said contrary to the existing law, the bill would allow for greater transparency to the public as it would allow for the government to make appointments to the Revenue Authority after a thorough process under public scrutiny.

“The director general is to be appointed by the government subject to a process of transparency, and that transparency process is exactly one that resembles the appointment of a Commissioner of Police, where you bring the name of the person you wish to appoint, and you subject (them) by way of a motion to debate on the person’s credentials.”

He also sought to assure the public of the independence of the authority, saying the director general and assistants would be completely separated from the government-appointed Board of Inland Revenue.