Staff at the Inland Revenue Department, the (IRD) are excited about returning to their original location on the Waterfront in Castries. This is after a more than two-year absence from the building and extensive renovation work carried out to improve their physical environment.Ā Marcia VitĆ©, Comptroller at the IRD said the Department was forced to relocate due to health and safety concerns but she is optimistic that the new location will allow for more efficient and effective service delivery to their clients.
āWe had been a bit fragmented if you want to call it that, trying to operate in approximately four or five locations. So now our location at the Blue Coral Mall, at Laborie Street and the one at Accountant Generalās Office, will all be relocating to the Waterfront in order to serve the public a lot better.ā
The move to the Waterfront, she said, will take the form of a staggered approach for approximately two weeks in an effort to minimize disruption to vital services offered by the IRD.
āWeāre trying to start off with our taxpayer service unit and our cash unit being functional at least by the 29th of July. We will be closed from the 26th of July which will enable us to relocate to the waterfront. We will still be utilizing the same floors, the first and the third floors, however, our services will continue in terms of taxpayer service at our location on Bridge Street at the Bank of Saint Lucia on the 3rd Floor.Ā But, on the 29th of July, we should be able to serve the public in terms of cashiering and taxpayer services from the first floor of our Water Front location.ā
The Comptroller says the public can expect a marked improvement in service delivery, with the consolidation of most of IRDās services at the Waterfront with the exception of the Property Tax Unit at Sunny Acres and the larger to medium taxpayer services upstairs the Bank of Saint Lucia, Bridge Street in Castries.
āWe would want to encourage persons to utilize our e-services. Remember, that it is always available, filing online is a lot easier than facing the line at the Inland Revenue Department. So we would like to encourage all our taxpayers to file online, pay online, call us if they need some assistance in registering but that is the most efficient way. So we would like to encourage all to e-file.ā
VitƩ is also reassuring both staff and the general public that the refurbished Waterfront location is a better, healthier work environment and appeals for patience and understanding as the IRD strives to improve the quality of its services to the general public.