TAJ blames extreme heat for malfunctioning AC units at two branches

 

Tax Administration of Jamaica (TAJ) says it is moving to repair malfunctioning air conditioning units at the May Pen and Cross Roads tax offices.

 

The move follows howls of protest from staff and customers.

 

Employees at the May Pen Tax Office in Clarendon staged a sit-in Wednesday morning over unfavourable working conditions brought on by the building's malfunctioning air conditioning system.

 

Dozens of customers who arrived for the 8:30 a.m. opening were not allowed to enter the building.

 

Chief Corporate Communications Officer at Tax Administration Jamaica Meris Haughton told Radio Jamaica News that the extreme heat affecting the island has been causing damage to the air conditioning units. 

 

"We are having some unusually high temperatures over an extended number of days, so that has exacerbated the situation. Notwithstanding, what we have done is to put some remedial work in place and I am happy to report that for tomorrow we should be back to normal as we have reached out to our service providers who have gone above and beyond to rectify the situation. Plus we have also put in place some backup situation in terms of if that does not work or as a complement to that working," she advised. 

 

The TAJ communications officer said the situation at the Cross Roads branch remains a challenge.

 

"What we have reported is that until Friday of this week, what we will be doing is closing our upper floor at about 1 p.m. because hot air rises. And again, it's because of what we have been seeing with the unusually high temperature; it has been impacting the AC units and you would appreciate that some of the units are older than others."

 

She said the situation should be rectified by the end of the week.