The Minister of Finance, the Honourable Colm Imbert, MP, has taken note of a press release issued by the Public Services Association (PSA) regarding a decision which the Minister made yesterday, which is related to the active case of Terissa Dhoray v the Attorney General of Trinidad And Tobago (The Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority court matter).

The Minister has refrained in the past in commenting on the inaccurate and misleading statements made by the PSA as the TTRA matter has progressed through the courts in Trinidad and Tobago.

The decision to establish the TTRA was driven by the need to address deficiencies in the current system stemming from limitations within the Public Service. Long standing deficiencies in the system have been identified and documented in feasibility and performance reports dating back as early as 2002.

Subsequent to the legislative process and passage of the TTRA Bill, 2021 in both Houses, the TTRA Act, 2021 was assented to by Her Excellency the President of Trinidad and Tobago on December 23, 2021.

The Act enables the TTRA to function according to its mandate, but through a hybrid system, whereby the Enforcement Division will still be guided by the Public Service Commission. Through benchmarking against several models, the structure chosen for the TTRA combines the functions of two divisions of the Ministry of Finance, namely the Inland Revenue Division (IRD) and the Customs & Excise Division (CED). As one revenue collecting agency, there will be several benefits and synergies, including cost efficiencies, data sharing and improved risk mitigation frameworks.

An interview with the Honourable Colm Imbert, Minister of Finance on the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority (TTRA).

Madam President, I beg to move:
That a Bill to establish the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority and for related matters, be now read a second time.
Madam President, as I proceed to pilot the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority Bill, 2021, permit me the opportunity to summarize the long and winding road that has led us, as a country, to this point.

Explanation Re: the Simple Majority Requirement for the Trinidad And Tobago Revenue Authority Bill, 2021

The first Bill to establish the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority was the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority Bill, 2010 which was introduced in Parliament on 29th January, 2010, but lapsed on 8th April, 2010. A second Bill, the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority Bill, 2018, was introduced in Parliament on 25th May, 2018 and referred to a Joint Select Committee of Parliament. Following the debate on the final report of the Joint Select Committee, however, the Bill was withdrawn. A third Bill, the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority Bill, 2019, was introduced in Parliament on 26th November, 2019 but lapsed on 3rd July, 2020.