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MP must pay $1.6m in back taxes or face prison
NORTH Trelawny Member of Parliament Dr EV Patrick Harris faces the possibility of going to prison immediately if he does not pay $1.6 million in back property taxes owed to the Jamaican Government.
A local court issued a 'forthwith order' yesterday, meaning that Dr Harris, 54, must pay the money immediately, or face the prospect of making prison his temporary home for the next 30 days.
The court ruling means that Dr Harris can be taken into police custody at any time, but the politician can in the meantime go into any tax office and make arrangements for the money to be paid.
Resident Magistrate for Trelawny Sheron Barnes made the order yesterday in the Falmouth RM Court.
Neither Dr Harris nor his legal representative appeared in court and the order was made in the medical practitioner's absence.
Legal counsel for the tax department Janet Scotland informed the court that Dr Harris was given sufficient time to pay the amount, but had not done so.
Scotland asked the court for the order to be made and it was granted.
In a response yesterday, Dr Harris, an Opposition People's National Party representative, told the Observer that he was aware of the ruling and that he was prepared to pay the amount owed.
"I am a taxpayer, a proud taxpayer. I can't run and go anywhere, I will deal with the matter," Dr Harris said.
"Money is tough and it is not that we don't want to pay taxes, but we are all facing hardships," he said.
As to why he did not show in court, Dr Harris put it down to an error.
"That was a foul-up. In fact, the arrangement should have been made so that the matter would not have reached the court. That didn't happen, but we will still deal with it. I won't be running," Dr Harris said.
Trained in the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), later named Russia, and India, the private practitioner is a two-term member of Parliament for the constituency that has consistently voted PNP, except for the 1980 election and the poll of 1983 when the PNP did not contest the snap election called by then prime minister Edward Seaga.
Dr Harris first became MP when he won the seat for the PNP in the 2002 general election, after replacing one-term MP Wendell 'Bull Bull' Stewart, and defeated the Jamaica Labour Party's Dennis Meadows in the 2007 poll.
Said to be a likeable MP, the former Cornwall College student from Maroon Town in St James runs a private medical practice in Falmouth, the Trelawny parish capital.
NORTH Trelawny Member of Parliament Dr EV Patrick Harris faces the possibility of going to prison immediately if he does not pay $1.6 million in back property taxes owed to the Jamaican Government.
A local court issued a 'forthwith order' yesterday, meaning that Dr Harris, 54, must pay the money immediately, or face the prospect of making prison his temporary home for the next 30 days.
The court ruling means that Dr Harris can be taken into police custody at any time, but the politician can in the meantime go into any tax office and make arrangements for the money to be paid.
Resident Magistrate for Trelawny Sheron Barnes made the order yesterday in the Falmouth RM Court.
Neither Dr Harris nor his legal representative appeared in court and the order was made in the medical practitioner's absence.
Legal counsel for the tax department Janet Scotland informed the court that Dr Harris was given sufficient time to pay the amount, but had not done so.
Scotland asked the court for the order to be made and it was granted.
In a response yesterday, Dr Harris, an Opposition People's National Party representative, told the Observer that he was aware of the ruling and that he was prepared to pay the amount owed.
"I am a taxpayer, a proud taxpayer. I can't run and go anywhere, I will deal with the matter," Dr Harris said.
"Money is tough and it is not that we don't want to pay taxes, but we are all facing hardships," he said.
As to why he did not show in court, Dr Harris put it down to an error.
"That was a foul-up. In fact, the arrangement should have been made so that the matter would not have reached the court. That didn't happen, but we will still deal with it. I won't be running," Dr Harris said.
Trained in the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), later named Russia, and India, the private practitioner is a two-term member of Parliament for the constituency that has consistently voted PNP, except for the 1980 election and the poll of 1983 when the PNP did not contest the snap election called by then prime minister Edward Seaga.
Dr Harris first became MP when he won the seat for the PNP in the 2002 general election, after replacing one-term MP Wendell 'Bull Bull' Stewart, and defeated the Jamaica Labour Party's Dennis Meadows in the 2007 poll.
Said to be a likeable MP, the former Cornwall College student from Maroon Town in St James runs a private medical practice in Falmouth, the Trelawny parish capital.