Georgetown: Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Mr. Khurshid Sattaur said that the organisation is committed to ensuring the highest possible efficiency in the trade process, noting that numerous Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were developed and implemented to support an Integrated Tax Administration with a view to improving workflow, efficiency and revenue performance. He noted that staff undergoes planned continuous training in countless areas including SOPs, bearing in mind transfers, promotion, recruitment, resignation and having to part ways with those who succumb to inducement.
Mr. Sattaur made the statement as a result of remarks by Chairman, Trade and Investment Sub Committee, Mr. Ramesh Dookoo during the opening ceremony of the World Trade Organisation/ Guyana Trade Facilitation Assessment of Needs and Priorities at Cara Lodge on September 16, 2013. Noting that many of the GRA representatives at the session did not look familiar, Mr. Dookoo expressed the hope that the new generation embraces process management, which is one of the new standards being set in regulatory institutions, so as to avoid long delays and unnecessary bureaucratic intervention in the processing of transactions the public has with the GRA.
The Commissioner-General noted that there are SOPs for the processing of customs declaration, remission letters, release of containers at wharves, risk management among many others. He said it is rather surprising that such a statement should be made by a leading member of the Private Sector as the GRA has over 290 SOPs in use for well over 3 years now, that prescribes the manner in details to be followed by both the public and GRA officers in processing transactions that relates to those mentioned above. The SOPs were developed from technical assistance provided under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) programme that ended more than 3 years ago.
“Ironically, it is the very intervention that prominent members of the Private sector demands from their close and familiar association with the top level management of the GRA that sometimes require the processes to be circumvented in the interest of such expediencies and that are responsible for the intervention of senior management into transaction processes, which I frown upon,” Mr. Sattaur Said.
“I wish to remind the general public, including the captains of industry, that these SOPs were developed as a charter with the GRA and the public that has as its sole objective the fulfilling of their duty by officers and the interaction with the public in a timely and consistent manner in processing of various transaction related to the GRA’s operations,” he further stated.
Mr. Sattaur added that any deviation from these practices by officer for whatever reason(s) should be reported using the GRA hotline 227-6060 Extensions 1201 – 1204. Other enquiry points such as the Customs Helpdesk at GRA Headquarters 200-201 Camp Street, Georgetown or email ( grapr@gra.gov.gy) can be used to report such delays or unnecessary frustration that is perceived to exist or experienced rather than seek to have the process circumvented because of close association that prominent members of society may have with the top brass of the GRA, and which is capitalized on to their advantage.
The GRA will continue to review its business processes and SOPs to ensure that the trade process is not encumbered and will continue dialogue with the private sector to determine best practice and the implementation of efficiency measures.
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