Member of Parliament for Barataria/ San Juan Saddam Hosein is questioning the status of the Valuation Tribunal, under the Valuation Division of the Ministry of Finance.
Speaking at a United National Congress (UNC) news conference yesterday, Hosein said he had written to President Christine Kangaloo to enquire on the tribunal’s status, given its role in receiving objections to Property Tax assessments.
He said the President indicated that the tribunal had not yet been appointed.
‘The Government did not appoint a valuation tribunal for who will also hear disputes if you are dissatisfied with the results you get from your initial objection. So, your first objection goes to the Commission of Valuations.
‘If you are still dissatisfied with that you go to the valuation’s tribunal …. When I read the law, the President is the one who will give you an appointment instrument.
‘I wrote to her excellency Christine Kangaloo, the President. The President confirmed to me that she did not appoint a valuation tribunal,’ he said.
Hosein said citizens had a right to object to Property Tax assessments under the law. If a citizen disagrees with property tax assessments, he said, they have 20 days to file an objection with the Commissioner of Valuations.
‘Under the valuations of lands act… you will get an initial assessment from the valuations of the lands division saying that your property is value X amount, and this is the annual rental value. Under that law you have 30 days to file an objection with the commissioner of valuations.
‘If that valuation goes through, they will now use that value to calculate what you will pay on Property Tax. If you are also dissatisfied with your Property Tax assessment, under the law you have 20 days to file an objection.
‘File your objection, Trinidad and Tobago, if you are dissatisfied with your assessment, it is your right it is built into the law,’ he said.
