The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ECONOMIC Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis rejected the notion that the Department of Inland Revenue (DIR) has too hastily auctioned properties through the power of sale revenue enforcement mechanism, emphasising this approach has been a last resort after years of people failing to pay real property taxes.

The department began exercising its power of sale option this year to recover outstanding sums.

Mr Halkitis voiced support for the aggressive step.

“I say all the time when you see this happen, this is not the first resort, this is the last resort,” he said at the Office of the Prime Minister’s press briefing yesterday.

“Many of those things that you see published, I can say all of them are a combination of people ignoring the department, people telling the department where they can go or people refusing to acknowledge their obligation.”

He said those affected are people and corporations who have outstandings arreas for ten to 20 years.

“It’s a long time coming to this situation and even now we have people complaining that oh, you published 100 properties and you’ve only sold three,” he said. “That’s because even at this stage when you have individuals advertising, people come in. The department is prepared to work with them to regularise their situation.

“So under our direction and guidance, they’ve undertaken a tremendous forbearance in that area to the point that you know many people are upset that you don’t just outright settle, but that’s not the intention of the government.”