AMMAN — Prime Minister
Bisher Al-Khasawneh paid an unannounced field visit to the
Income and Sales Tax Department (ISTD) on Sunday for a progress update.
اضافة اعلان
During the visit, the premier stressed
that the department must provide citizens, the economic sector, and investors
with the best services possible, as a way of implementing His Majesty
King Abdullah’s directives on easing the tax process for taxpayers.
Khasawneh emphasized that the
relationship between the tax department and taxpayers must be built on mutual
trust, stating that both must perform their duties towards the country and its
economy.
The PM also stressed the
importance of on-site inspections by ISTD staff, who he called on to carry out
their jobs with the highest level of professionalism and objectivity.
“It’s of utmost importance that
citizens and work and investment sectors feel that the department was
established to serve them and that ISTD collections are accurate and objective,”
he said.
The private sector is key to the country’s
development, Khasawneh added, noting its role in making Jordan a destination
for investments that boosts the economy and provides jobs for younger citizens.
He also stressed the importance of
assessing taxpayers’ complaints to settle administrative grievances before they
are submitted to the judiciary system.
Khasawneh called for a speedy
approval of the national billing system, which is set to bring "real
revenue" to the state treasury, allowing ISTD personnel to speed up the
auditing process.
The prime minister also visited
the Customer Service Office.
Husam Abu Ali, head of ISTD, said
that tax reforms will not be limited to following up on violations related to
tax avoidance or tax evasion but will also include improving tax services for
compliant taxpayers.
The department formed auditing
teams to educate and guide taxpayers, and to protect them from committing any
violations, according to Abu Ali.
According to Jordan News Agency,
Petra in a Cabinet session held on Sunday, Khasawneh urged his ministerial
committee to follow up on his field visits across the Kingdom.
He also encouraged the committee
to submit progress reports to ensure that citizens and investors are provided
with quality services and that their complaints are addressed in a way that
melds with the government’s COVID-19 recovery plan and “advances the economic
landscape”.
“Citizens must see a
remarkable improvement in this aspect,” he said.
So far, the Cabinet has
approved the committee’s recommendations for settling issues between taxpayers
and the tax department.
.jpg)
.jpg)
