Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Tag: Media Release

Media Release: The Leader of the Opposition is Clutching at Straws and Making Up Stories About “Missing Money”

The Minister of Finance, Hon. Colm Imbert, MP, has taken note of the latest diatribe from the Leader of the Opposition regarding the impasse which occurred in 2024 between public officers at the Ministry of Finance and the Auditor General over the 2023 public accounts. The Leader of the Opposition, Hon Kamla Persad-Bissessar, S.C. MP,…

Media Release – A Summary by the Minister of Finance, Hon. Colm Imbert, MP, of the Annual Report of the Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (FIUTT) for the year ended September 30, 2024

In accordance with Section 18 of the Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago Act, Chap. 72:01, the Director of the FIUTT submitted to the Minister of Finance its Annual Report for 2024. This Report was laid in Parliament by the Minister, Hon. Colm Imbert, MP, on Wednesday, February 8, 2025. The following are some…

Media Release – Trinidad and Tobago removed by the OECD from the list of countries with harmful Tax Practices

The Minister of Finance, Hon. Colm Imbert, MP, wishes to advise that in January 2025, Trinidad and Tobago was deemed by the OECD Forum on Harmful Tax Practices to be free from harmful tax practices, and removed from the list of countries with such practices in February 2025. The OECD Forum on Harmful Tax Practices…

Media Release – Tax and NIS Amnesties extended to March 31, 2025

The Minister of Finance, Hon. Colm Imbert, MP, wishes to advise that as of Monday, January 27, 2025, the Tax Amnesty had raised $2.38 billion in revenue.Compared to previous years, the current Tax Amnesty is now on par with the 2019 tax amnesty, which was the most successful tax amnesty granted in the history of…

Media Release – Value Added Tax (VAT) Bonds Application Forms are available Online

In keeping with the Ministry of Finance’s 2025 ‘VAT Bonds’ initiative, the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) has announced that persons registered for VAT (“VAT Registrants”) can now apply for the payment of outstanding VAT refunds, via VAT Bonds. The BIR further advises that the VAT Bonds would be issued on a first come, first…

Media Release – Ministers Imbert and Beckles-Robinson Host Courtesy Visit with IDB Representatives

The Honourable Colm Imbert Minister of Finance along with the Honourable Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, Minister of Planning and Development met with a visiting mission from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on Tuesday 21st January, 2025 at the Eric Williams Finance Building (EWFB), Port of Spain. The IDB Team was led by Mr. Jordan Schwartz – Executive…

Media Release – Cash Flow, not Bureaucracy, at the Core of VAT Refunds delay

The Minister of Finance notes concerns raised by the Daily Express in its editorial “Drowning in VAT bureaucracy” centred around the “tardiness in repaying VAT to companies” and wishes to address the issues raised.Cash flow constraints have resulted in a 1-month delay in completing this exercise, not bureaucracy.

Media Release: Moody’s affirms Trinidad and Tobago’s Ba2 rating with Stable Outlook

On December 16, 2024, Moody’s affirmed Trinidad and Tobago’s rating at Ba2 with a Stable outlook. This affirmation is underpinned by the country’s return to sustained growth, primarily driven by the non-energy sector.Despite lower-than-projected energy revenues in fiscal year 2024, which have increased the fiscal deficit to 4.8% of GDP from 1.7% in fiscal year…