TAXPAYERS waited in line for up to four hours yesterday in crammed Inland Revenue Department (IRD) offices across the Corporate Area to make use of the final day for the 100 per cent tax amnesty on interest and penalty on back outstanding taxes.

At the Constant Spring office in St Andrew, people who stood in long winding lines complained about the long wait to get to 
the cashier.

"I have been here from 11:45 am, but too much 'racketeering' going on that is why I can't get through," an elderly man who was close to the front of the line told the Observer after 4:00 pm. "I knew that it would be crowded, but I never thought it would be like this," he added.

Viralee Lattibeaudiere, commissioner of taxes, told the Observer that the number of cashiers at the Constant Spring collectorate was increased to 20 in order to facilitate the expected rush by taxpayers.

"The office has been packed to capacity since we opened this morning at 8:00 and the crowd doesn't seem to be subsiding," she said. "We are suppose to close at five, but I think that if it continues like this we will have to stay open until whenever because we can't turn anyone away today," the tax commissioner said.

At the Cross Roads collectorate, the large crowd overflowed into the parking lot.

"It has been pandemonium here," principal collector Clive Segree told the Observer, as he laid out chairs under a tent that was erected at the front for senior citizens. "We opened early and from then the line stretched around the building. I have been here for eight years and I have never seen anything like this," said Segree.

A woman said she waited for one-and-a-half hours to get to the door at the Cross Roads collectorate, and that she was likely to spend another three hours inside before getting to the cashier.

"It's not really my fault I had to come here last minute," she said. "I only heard about this amnesty thing last Thursday," said the woman, who declined to give her name.

The scene was no different in downtown Kingston, where people several impatient taxpayers waited in long lines.

"Me nat even know how long me deh yah and if me tink bout it me a go cuss," a man close to the front of the line said. "Them need fi get online service because this is stupid."

Leighton Beckles, public relations manager, said the cashiers were working on shifts to accommodate the rush and that they would likely have to work until about 12:00 am to 1:00 am this morning to accommodate 
the taxpayers.

"It is possible that people [paying taxes] will still be here at 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm," he said. "The trend is that Jamaicans normally wait until last minute to do these things so we are trying to see how we can get persons to comfortably make use of the amnesty," said Beckles.

Since the announcement of the Tax Amnesty on April 11, the tax authorities have collected just over $2.8 billion in outstanding taxes. Persons who make payments by July 31 will get a relief of 80 per cent. This will decrease to 50 per cent if payment is made by August 31; 40 per cent by September 30; and 20 per cent by the end of October.