Vice-Minister of Finance, Sara Lobo Brites, participated on July 10, 2020, in the launching ceremony of the online service e-Request, which took place in the Auditorium of the Ministry of Finance, in Dili. This service allows taxpayers to have access to the Debt Certificate (Certidão de Dívidas), through the internet and without having to go to the Ministry of Finance.
Timor-Leste Tax Authority (TL-TA) of the Ministry of Finance has once again marked a historical momentum by launching the e-Request feature that is part of the e-Services platform.
“As the Vice-Minister of Finance, it is a privilege because the launching of Certidão de Dívidas via e-Request is a great milestone within the realm of Fiscal Reform, in which the Tax Authority has exercised for a continued improvement of services. As we all follow very closely, Fiscal Reform agenda has started since the VI Gov, in which a transformational change was accomplished whereby the two Directorate General of Customs and Revenue were leveled up to become Customs Authority and Tax Authority, respectively” stated Vice-Minister of Finance Sara Lobo Brites on 10th July 2020 at Auditorium of MF.
She further emphasizes that “the purpose of undertaking the Reform on these two Directorates, has been on the belief that the state income (collection) from petroleum resources would not last for long and hence would be depleted one day. Thus, the resilient income that would support fiscal sustainability in the future, is domestic tax revenue, in which the State bestows its trust on the Tax Authority to collect and manage the administration”.
Within the ambit of the Reform, particularly in the light with the services and performance by TA, the Vice-Minister further informed that “the Reforms are not implemented merely to grant the necessary power on TA in the undertaking of its role or for TA to simply enjoy its administrative and financial autonomy, however, the chief objective is rather to build a more credible institution, which entails that AT should gain trust and respect from all the citizens, especially the taxpayers. TA should become a reputed institution and to further improve its customer services much closer to the taxpayers in a more efficient and effective manner when collecting taxes for the State”.
At the launching ceremony of e-Request, the Director General of Tax Authority, Monica Rangel da Cruz informed that “The launching of e-Request marks another great milestone accomplished by the TL-TA, which is essentially to help and assist our taxpayers in terms of (i), avoiding unnecessary administrative hassles and (ii), minimizing compliance cost that may be suffered by taxpayers. With the e-Request, taxpayers would not necessarily present physically at the Tax Office when requesting for Certidao de Dividas. They can request from anywhere, at any times, so long as they are connected with internet”.
Director General further adds that upon submission of request by taxpayers for Certidao de Dividas, the taxpayers will receive an automatic alert generated from the system stating that their request is under review. Should there be no outstanding issue recorded under SIGTAS and provided that everything is satisfied under the law, the taxpayers should be able to get their Certidao de Dividas issued within 1-2 days.
The e-Request is part of the e-Services platform which, was officially launched on 4th October 2019 by the Vice- Minister and Acting Minister of Finance at the time and the Directorate General of Tax Authority (DGTA). This e-Services since its launch last year has enabled and benefited nearly 2000 taxpayers to do e-Filing and e-Reporting. The Tax Authority of the Ministry of Finance plans to further develop the e-Services platform by introducing e-Payment in the near future.