Two companies in the Corporate Area fined for tax breaches

Two companies, Q&S Enterprise (Jamaica) Limited and Palm Rose Commodity Limited, have been fined a combined $3.9 million for breaches of Jamaica's tax laws.

Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) says Q&S Enterprise (Jamaica) Limited was fined $3.2 million for breaches of the General Consumption Tax Act (GCTA).

The Tax Authority presented evidence in the Sutton Street Revenue Court recently that the St. Andrew-based business in 2020, through its directors, Stanford Henry and Dagmar Berry, on several occasions unlawfully collected GCT, although they were not registered with TAJ to do so.

It noted that the GCTA states that “A person, not being a registered taxpayer, who collects tax commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction in a Resident Magistrate's Court to a fine not exceeding $5 million or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment.”

Both Directors pleaded guilty to three offences.

Meanwhile, Palm Rose Commodity Limited was fined $700,000 after its director, Rudolph May, pleaded guilty for failure to produce books, records and documents requested by TAJ under the Revenue Administration Act.

The TAJ said the company was fined after it failed to provide the requested documents, despite several requests made by way of notices served on May.

Tax Administration Jamaica says it will continue to strive towards realising a tax compliant Jamaica.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Inst gram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.