policy

Gleaner columnist Patria-Kaye Aarons wrote about a church that had bought several buildings to rent out and was exploring leasing a helicopter, yet had not registered for tax exemption. She argued congregations deserve to know how every dollar is spent.

Grenada’s religious affairs minister said some non-traditional churches were making members pay the rent on church buildings and even pastors’ homes on top of tithes, as the government moved to set standards for churches.

At a 2015 Observer Press Club forum, Christian business leaders including Wycliffe’s Oral McCook and Jamaica Broilers’ Robert Levy urged churches to open their accounts to scrutiny, linking tax exemption to accountability under Jamaica’s new Charities Act.

Real estate dealers have been regulated against money laundering since 2013. Developers have not. As Jamaicas property market approaches J$100 billion a year, that gap is starting to matter.

Real estate dealers have been regulated against money laundering since 2013. Developers have not. As Jamaicas property market approaches J$100 billion a year, that gap is starting to matter.

521 Jamaican strata properties, mostly in Portmore, faced prosecution over unregistered status, against a backdrop of 1,532 total strata corporations islandwide, 65 percent of which had already registered voluntarily.

Some Jamaican strata corporations chose to go without insurance entirely, citing cost, a decision the regulator called inadvisable but legally permissible if unanimous. Unpaid maintenance fees remained the most common complaint.