Online tax system
A Beaconite is glad that the Inland Revenue Department has set up an online system for businesses and individuals to manage their taxes. This is an important step toward the “e-government” that successive administrations have been promising for more than a decade with very limited success. But after registering online last month, the Beaconite is unable to give the online system terribly high marks. To start, he went to the IRD’s website, but he couldn’t find the needed website address posted there. After some googling, he found an instructional video that the government posted last June, which advised him to go to www.eregisterfortax.gov.vg. He duly entered this address into his Firefox browser, but the site wouldn’t open. When he called the IRD, he was advised to use a Chrome browser instead. But it still didn’t work. When he called the IRD again, he was advised not to type “www” in front of the address. Given the instructional video that had included “www” in the address, he found this instruction odd, but he followed it. It worked. He then commenced filling out the form. Here, too, his review is mixed. On the plus side, the instructions were basic and easy to follow. However, the site took a long time to load different screens, and it froze up repeatedly during his application process. In other words, more work is clearly needed to streamline the system. Clearly, the government has a lot more work to do as it moves ahead with broader plans to implement online solutions. He’s not sure what the problem is, but he notes that the IRD system comes not long after the failure of the online work-permit submission system.
Bruised and battered
After the holidays, many people will be feeling the aches and pains of too much partying. On top of that discomfort, a Beaconite is feeling a different sort of pain, but he nevertheless counts himself very lucky. If you own a motorcycle, it’s not necessarily evident that you will crash. But you should wear the proper attire that serves to protect your flesh and bone just in case — and try with all your might to drive safely. However, whatever can happen will happen, and happen it did to a Beaconite over the holidays. Though he was wearing a full-face helmet, a leather jacket and gloves, and jeans, he still got pretty banged up — ensuring that his first day back in a martial arts studio after the holidays was a very painful one. But he was nevertheless lucky to walk away without more serious injuries. Given his close call, he would like to take the time to endorse the practice of wearing a SNELL and DOT certified helmet at the very minimum when hopping on a bike. The injuries to his legs easily could have happened across his whole body had he not been outfitted in protective gear. And he notes that particularly careful attention is needed when driving on steep, wet roads. With a sigh of relief, he wishes everyone safe riding and a happy New Year.