Long queues for tax returns frustrate islanders

The queue, which at one point contained more than 30 people, stretched out of the third floor office and down one flight of stairs.

Many in the queue said they would have preferred to send in the return online, but had encountered problems.

Steve Nelson, who is self-employed, said he had originally submitted his 2023 return in May.

‘Then out of the blue I get a letter saying its due and I’ll be fined if I don’t get one in by Friday,’ he said.

‘It’s the second one they have lost in four years. It is just incompetence. The online system is just useless and half the time it doesn’t work. My wife had to spend an hour yesterday to pick me up a form and now I’m back in the queue waiting again, when I should be working.’

Coral Lines was waiting to hand in a completed form, having spent the best part of an hour queuing last week to collect one.

‘People have been getting quite irate,’ she said.

‘It is hot and stuffy in here and a lot of people have disabilities or are elderly, but you can’t sit down. I’ve been here half an hour and I reckon I have half an hour to go. I’ve chosen to do a paper form because I find it simpler, but I’ve been chatting to people in the queue and problems logging into the computer system keep coming up.’

That was true of one islander behind her, who was there to hand in his completed form.

‘I only completed one as a last resort after being locked out of the online system,’ he said.

‘I’ve emailed the tax office but had no reply. I didn’t have much option but to complete one by hand.’

This is the first year that spouses have to fill in separate forms. Something that had caused a problem for Victoria Ip.

‘I’ve always done one with my husband in the past, and it was simple as I had no income of my own,’ she said.

‘I tried to start my account at the weekend but the system wouldn’t recognise my GY number. I emailed in but it was 48 hours for a response. I’m leaving the island on Wednesday so I had no option but to come down here and queue twice.’

People in the queue had the option of handing their completed forms in at the front desk, but many decided not to do this, including Mrs Ip.

‘I want a receipt to prove I’ve done it,’ she said. ‘I don’t have enough faith in the system to leave without one.’

A number of older islanders questioned why they were there at all.

‘I’ll be retired eight years this May,’ said one pensioner who did not want to be named.

‘I only get a pension and it’s paid in this building. Why have I still got to fill in a form? It’s a waste of my time and theirs.’

However, one other islander, who was in the building for other business and wished to remain anonymous, said most of those queuing only had themselves to blame.

‘I filled my return in online and the system worked perfectly,’ he said. ‘If you wait till the last few days of course there will be a queue.

'To be able to wait and queue is a virtue of your education. You should not be then standing about and complaining.’