DIGITISATION confusion reigns! Our Government continues to bombard us with new computer systems that we are obligated to join-often without any understanding of the objective of the system except to report ‘progress’ and ‘advancement’ of the country in some politician’s mind.

From my recollection, we first had something called ‘TTconnect’ that required us to visit some Government office to register personal details that have been well-known to the Board of Inland Revenue for years, but now all sorts of ID are required so that we are able to get a PIN number and ‘username’ so that we can complete our annual tax return online.

But what if we don’t want it online? Why should one waste valuable time visiting a Government office when the BIR already has all pertinent information about the taxpayer?

So, they then cancelled the online availability of the tax return forms so one had to get online. And if you don’t have a computer, crapaud smoke your pipe!

Then something else emerged called e-Tax that allowed people to avoid the dreaded TTConnect and sign in as ‘nonlogged in’ persons. So, what is the fate (and purpose) of maintaining TTConnect if folks don’t want to use it? And again, the forms for manual returns of corporate tax returns were removed from public availability and some successor was put online.

For corporation tax returns there is a programming error that prevents completion past Page 13, that has existed for at least three years. Of course ‘help’ is available from the BIR if you are prepared to wait all day listening to an automated voice telling you that you are now ‘number 18 in the queue’.

I am not. By the way, there were no public notices advising of these new systems that unnecessarily complicate our lives. Also no public advice for the changes outlined below.

The amendment of the Companies Act of 2009 requires Forms 41, 42, 45, to be submitted showing beneficial ownership of property. These forms are horrendous and defy all efforts to understand the correct way to complete.

In the case of ownership via a company, persons such as attorneys and real estate people advise variously that both Forms 41 and 42 must be completed for indirect ownership, and others advise only one form is required.

There was an opportunity to put all the required info into the already existing Form 28 (annual return) which requires all shareholders to be listed, and make the F28 available online-as an option. But no, there simply had to be more forms generated.

These particular forms are extremely objectionable since they threaten enormous financial penalties and affect honest people who simply invested in property and want to make a tax return!

The latest case I have heard of is the Companies Registry that has foisted a ‘Companies Registry Account’ (CRA) on us. This is fairly simple to comply with, but tedious, and amazingly quick to send a provisional ‘password’ back to you. However, this password may take a couple of days to arrive, but expires the same day-because you were ‘too slow’.

Now few persons sit staring at their screen all day, hoping their password will arrive, so this must be the most ridiculous system of all. Mine expired the same night I got it!

Worse still, there is no ‘help’ feature to find out what you must do next. And remember a ‘help’ line must be manned by real people in adequate numbers so that you don’t have to listen to the ‘number 18’ message. No FAQs please, or standard examples, or ‘tickets’-just an ordinary, efficient ‘help’ line. Better still, programme the damned thing to show what to do when they cancel the password as fast as they issue it.

I suppose it’s just being too unreasonable to say that all the ID and address info needed is already in the State’s database in other limbs of the Ministry of Finance, and all they have to do is look.

Probably the worst part of all this is that these systems appear to be developed in silos that do not communicate with similar systems in the Ministry of Finance.

Any computerised system within a ministry should start off with a wellthought-out and clearly stated objective; carefully examined for synergies with other State systems; not seek information already held by Government; always have adequate easy-to-understand explanations; adequate ‘help’ capacity; and preserve the manual submission long enough for the public to become accustomed to the new digital version, and actually want to join it, rather than be bludgeoned to do so.

There are many more ‘systems’ being forced on the public, whether they like it or not, and the Government seems oblivious to its failings. I have lost count of the number of passwords I need for State and private matters, and really don’t want anymore. Don’t they realise everything can be wiped out by a single hacker, leaving ‘digitisation’ looking like CAL on a busy weekend.

Where is our ‘minister for digitisation’ in all this mess? Aren’t the simple requirements listed above his responsibility? And we can say goodbye to any hopes for the ‘ease of doing business in Trinidad’ ratings improving. That went to the Labasse long ago!

Reg Potter
Glencoe