Simplify taxes collection

Minister of Finance Ezzeddine Kanakrieh has issued new directives to the Income Tax and Sales Department to work more diligently and aggressively in their endeavours to press ahead with all available means to collect income and sales taxes from the public.

This is all fine and good, but the minister seems to forget that Jordanians do not have yet the culture or the experience on how to pay their taxes on time as other peoples in more advanced nations do, and it is going to take time to introduce them to this new culture.

In other words, the government must "take it easy" and not get carried away as it goes about collecting taxes, and try instead to educate the public slowly, but surely, on how they can carry out their citizenship obligations and duties.

It is never enough to adopt rules and regulations that few people bother to read or get acquainted with. Kanakrieh must, therefore, exercise a certain degree of patience.

Be patient, Mr Minister, until average people can learn the ABCs of what, how and when to pay their taxes, and who is exactly required by law to do so. Otherwise, the tax collection system can get tangled and frustrated without any real benefit to the government.

There are certain categories of citizens who are not obligated by law to file their income tax returns, including non-residents. The government must educate citizens on these matters before issuing threats and innuendos, especially when most people are already under financial pressure.

The authorities must also try to collect taxes at the source, instead of waiting for taxpayers to declare their incomes. There is a whole lot that the government can do to simplify the collection of taxes without taxing the patience of the public more than necessary.