The Customs Department will on Friday put temporary measures in place to begin collecting the J$800 increase in the Departure Tax.
Special collection booths will be set up at the country's two international airports.
On Thursday DanvilleWalker, Commissioner of Customs, said his department was not able to immediately begin processing the newly increased departure tax which was announced by the Government on Wednesday.
The tax was hiked from $1,000 to $1,800.
Mr. Walker has admitted that a proper system will not be in place to collect the taxes until December1.
"Before December 1, that system would have been adjusted but we can't afford not to have a system inplace between now and when that software changes gets made so, that's what we're doing. We're working out the modality with the two international airports to have it in as quickly as possible," he said.
IATA was not informed of increase - JATA
The Jamaica Association of Travel Agents (JATA) had asked Mr. Walker to push back the implementation date of the increase to December 1.
It said the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has to be informed of the tax changes whilethe flying public as well as travel agencies need time to adjust to the new measure.
The JATA says there arestill grey areas which could affect the collection of the increased DepartureTax.
Tickets bought before Oct. 1
Pamela Reese, President of the Association says it is still unclear whether travelers who purchased airline tickets before October 1 will have to pay the additional tax.
"Some persons have purchased ticket (earlier in the year) for travel after October 1 so, is it that they're saying that persons who've purchased their ticket and paid the$1000 from January to September 30 would not be required to pay the difference. There should be a date where it begins and is effective," she said.
Mrs. Reese added that the authorities have not made adequate provisions to collect the increased taxfrom cruise ship passengers.
"Initially I was told that there were looking at setting up booths at the two airports to collect but would they be able, from those booths, to capture the difference in tax because there are cruise ship travelers and other person who come in who need to pay this tax. How are they going to capture all of that," she asked.
On Thursday DanvilleWalker, Commissioner of Customs, said his department was not able to immediately begin processing the newly increased departure tax which was announced by the Government on Wednesday.
The tax was hiked from $1,000 to $1,800.
Mr. Walker has admitted that a proper system will not be in place to collect the taxes until December1.
"Before December 1, that system would have been adjusted but we can't afford not to have a system inplace between now and when that software changes gets made so, that's what we're doing. We're working out the modality with the two international airports to have it in as quickly as possible," he said.
IATA was not informed of increase - JATA
The Jamaica Association of Travel Agents (JATA) had asked Mr. Walker to push back the implementation date of the increase to December 1.
It said the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has to be informed of the tax changes whilethe flying public as well as travel agencies need time to adjust to the new measure.
The JATA says there arestill grey areas which could affect the collection of the increased DepartureTax.
Tickets bought before Oct. 1
Pamela Reese, President of the Association says it is still unclear whether travelers who purchased airline tickets before October 1 will have to pay the additional tax.
"Some persons have purchased ticket (earlier in the year) for travel after October 1 so, is it that they're saying that persons who've purchased their ticket and paid the$1000 from January to September 30 would not be required to pay the difference. There should be a date where it begins and is effective," she said.
Capturing the taxes
Mrs. Reese added that the authorities have not made adequate provisions to collect the increased taxfrom cruise ship passengers.
"Initially I was told that there were looking at setting up booths at the two airports to collect but would they be able, from those booths, to capture the difference in tax because there are cruise ship travelers and other person who come in who need to pay this tax. How are they going to capture all of that," she asked.
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