Tax dept ready for traffic ticket amnesty

Damion Mitchell, Editor - Radio & Online

Tax Administration Jamaica says its systems are now ready for the traffic ticket amnesty announced by the National Security Ministry.

The Amnesty which began on July 1 will run until December 31 and will apply to offenders with unpaid traffic tickets that were issued before September 21, 2010.

Spokesperson for Tax Administration Jamaica, Meris Haughton, says under the amnesty, people will not be able to pay outstanding tickets online.

As a result, she says they must visit any of the 29 tax offices islandwide.

Haughton says if motorists are uncertain whether they have outstanding tickets, they may find out by visiting the website of Tax Administration Jamaica and entering their driver's license or TRN.

Haughton says to prevent long delays at the tax office people with outstanding tickets should avoid visiting during the busy periods around the 14th and the end of each month.

It is projected that the traffic ticket amnesty will raise $2 billion.

During the amnesty, offenders who pay the fine in full will be cleared of the offence.

All attached penalties, including loss of points, and the obligation to attend court would also be waived.

However, the amnesty does not cover serious offences such as dangerous driving as those are not ticketable.

damion.mitchell@gleanerjm.com